Weaving Destiny
by Nikkou Arashi
Summary: Severed by Fate, Entwined by Destiny.
1. Synopsis & Prologue

**SYNOPSIS**

Fate brought them together but apparently fate pulled them apart. Her loss continued to haunt him as she was not the first. How many more will he loose for him to prove how much he has learned about the value of friends, team, and teamwork? Is gaining some and losing more, his destiny? He lost two of his comrades to death, her and another student to fate.

How will he ever get them back? They are getting traces of the latter, but what about her? Everyone else believes that she died years ago. Should he continue to believe on what others have stopped believing? If destiny is what we make of ourselves, will he ever find a way for destiny to counter fate and tie them up together?

**PROLOGUE**

"Keep them surrounded, don't let them get in the palace!"

Captain Riusu commanded his lieutenants as they gather around three men attacking the palace gates.

They were no ordinary men, dashing towards the palace gates with great speed, and penetrating the palace grounds in no time. In a minute the watchmen spotted three suspicious men a few miles away and now, in no time, the landscape surrounding the palace gates is a mess. Fire burned down every defense structure that they had. The Iron gates crumpled to the ground as one of the oppressors used some technique to bring it down.

"Captain, the enemies are no ordinary men!" Lieutenant Argos, leader of the Northern Troop scurried down to the captain for a report.

"They have some sort of magic or whatever they call it that allows them to manipulate nature. They melted the palace gates with fire using their bare hands. Bringing them down is not that easy!"

"I do not know what kind of being these creatures are, Lieutenant." Captain Riusu answered in disbelief. "I have never seen anyone like them before. Nevertheless, we must get near them and know what their purpose is of coming here."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Come on, let's try to get near one of them."

Both men rushed to the center but halted when arrows and spears come flying off to where the three men stood. The King's Arrowmen have come to reinforce them.

"Impossible!" Cried the Liuetenant leading the west troop. "None of our arrows are getting through!"

"That man in the middle, Lieutenant Weiss, is - - like - - blowing our arrows away from them!" exclaimed one arrowman as he witnessed their arrows being blown off by a wind that whirled around the three of them.

"Swordsmen, attack!" Called Lieutenant Weiss and immediately after the call, the Lieutenants heading the Southern and Eastern Troops called the same and all 300 men came rushing towards the center, the Lieutenants on the lead.

"Ryu, Shin, let's get these over with. This bunch of pests is keeping us from completing our mission." Saburo, the leader of the three men reminded his comrades of their purpose.

"Ah, that's right." Sighed the man in the middle, Ryu.

"Let's finish them all off!" Shin eagerly said.

"No, they are not ninjas, after all. It will just be a waste of energy if we do that." Saburo disagreed.

But before Saburo could finish his instructions, the lieutenants leading the east, west, and south troops rushed to them with their swords held high.

"Earth Style, root-binding technique!" Shin did some hand signs as the three Lieutenants rushed on them.

Shin sped up to meet them and applied a technique that called out roots from the ground and bound the three Lieutenants all together.

"Perhaps, we could give out a few lessons?" She looked at Saburo for approval as she held all three lieutenants together high up in the air with the help of those roots that sprouted out from the ground.

The soldiers, after seeing how their leaders were held high, ceased from coming on to them.

"Who are you and what is your purpose?" Captain Riusu was finally able to come close enough to be heard.

"That is none of your business! Put them away, Shin!" Saburo instructed Shin to put down the three lieutenants.

"Uggh!" She grunted and threw off the three men haplessly.

"Ryu! Get as in quickly!" Saburo commanded with a hard voice.

"Ah!" Ryu replied snaply.

"Wind Style, tornado snake technique!"

Ryu did some hand signs and a tornado was formed. After doing some stances, he made it crawl like a snake sweeping Captain Riusu and the rest of the soldiers and giving them a clear path to the palace's entrance's door. As the three men penetrated the palace, everything went by so fast that it was too late for them to realize what their purpose really was.

END OF PROLOGUE

Up next is Chapter 1: Memories of the Sun


	2. Memories of the Sun

**WEAVING DESTINY CHAPTER ONE: **Memories Of The Sun

Konohagakure, Hidden Village of the Leaf. It was 4:00 in the morning and who else could be dreaming of Sakura in his little abode?

"Hmmmm, that feels great, Sakura…" Naruto mumbles as he dreams of Sakura gently massaging his back as he lies with his cheeks on the pillow. Sakura continued her massage up to his shoulders and then to his head. Later on, what used to be a gentle massage became sharp picks.

"U-Uh, that kinda hurts, Sakura-chan…please be gentle." But the more he pleads for gentleness the more Sakura picked and picked on his head. And what more? She had become violently noisy too that her voice started to crackle loudly every minute.

"ka-kak! Ka-kak! Kak-kak!"

"Arr-rgggh - -!" Naruto shouted in despair and later on realized that he was only dreaming. What could have been Sakura hitting his head was actually an adult rooster picking on his head like it was fighting another rooster!

"Co-cook-cookroooook!" yelled the rooster back as Naruto turned up to face and glared at it.

Pissed off with what the rooster did, he caught it up with its neck and strangled it.

"Ahk-k-k-k!" cried the rooster as he struggled to get free from Naruto's hold. With no hesitation, the rooster picked and picked on Naruto's hands until Naruto let go of him.

"Arrrrggggghhhh!, DAMN ROOSTER! I'LL TURN YOU INTO A ROASTED CHICKEN WHEN I GET HOLD OF YOOOUUUU!"

Naruto, all mad and angry shouted right at the rooster's face. But before he could make another move, the rooster picked on his forehead and flew straight out of the window and up to the roof.

All red and mad, Naruto chased the rooster from one roof to the other, causing most of the sleeping villagers to wake up. The chase went on to the market place, to the village square, to the fields and back to the houses and then from trees to trees.

'Huurrrmmm…where did that stupid chicken go?', said a grumpy Naruto as he stopped on one of the branches of a large tree and lost sight of the rooster.

Naruto looked around all mad about the chicken which just ruined his dream and waking him before the sun was up. He searched every possible spot around him and found no sign of it. Then he stopped as his eyes landed on a man solemnly standing by the window.

'Hmmm, Kakashi-Sensei is already up and ready to go?' He wondered upon seeing Kakashi standing by his window, facing the east and all geared up. He didn't notice that chasing the rooster had brought him near the teacher's quarters and the tree where he is on, is just adjacent to Kakashi's window.

He carefully stepped forward to get a closer look at him. From where he was standing, he could see Kakashi's usual impassive face staring endlessly at the sun. As the sun started to come out, Naruto realized that he have been chasing the rooster for almost two hours now.

'Uh! Damn chicken. Now, I wouldn't have time to go back to sleep anymore.' He said, still pissed off about the rooster robbing him of his dream and his sleep.

The sun continued to rise and the colorful clouds danced away with the wind as it gives way to the sun's bright rays. Kakashi gazed outside the window to welcome a brand new day. New as it always is, deep within himself, there are some things that has remained unchanged.

As always, the sun brings him unexplained nostalgia that are left unanswered even to this day. He was always a late comer, yes. But that is just what everyone else sees because, even up to this day, he was never late to wait by his window, all set and ready to go just before the sun rises in the east. Its light brings him memories that have continued to live in him after all these years.

As the sun continued to rise and its rays enter his quarters, his eyes trailed along with it until it ended up in his bedside table. On top of it are memoirs that he have and will always treasure.

"Ah, I'm sorry Sasuke. If I had been a better teacher, you might have not gone the wrong way." Kakashi whispered to himself as he held the picture frame of him, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.

"You sure have grown strong, Naruto. Surpassing even me and those that have gone before you. I know you will become a great Hokage. Far greater than anyone before you."

With a silent laugh, he looked at Sakura's picture.

"Sakura, you were always blinded with your admiration for Sasuke. I'm glad that finally, you have realized Naruto's efforts that you have trained hard to become a useful ninja to everyone. Now, you were always there to heal Naruto not only with his physical injuries but with his stupidities, too." Kakashi could not stop laughing at that.

"Yondaime, Sensei." He continued as he picked up another picture frame. "I swear, I'll be a better teacher this time. I will help Naruto and every growing Shobi in every way I can. Obito, I will always live with your teachings and make sure that every Genin learns the value of friendship and teamwork. Rin, I was not able to protect you as promised but I will protect every growing Shinobi to the best that I can."

He put down the picture frame and picked up an old damaged head protector. Everyday he'd look at it speechlessly. After years of looking at it every day, he is still unable to find words to say to it. And this time, something in him is telling him to bring it with him but he doesn't know why. Perhaps, he will find the answer along the way.

Yesterday, Tsunade called his team's attention. They are to go as a backup to Prince Skye Nieville's personal bodyguard. The prince from the Clover Country will go to visit his soon to be bride; the princess of the Yellow Country, Princess Tamara. Prince Skye is known to never take any more bodyguards other than his personal bodyguard. But since the journey is quite long, his personal bodyguard requested a backup of three or four men.

He is to meet Naruto, Sakura, and Sai in the village's entrance gate at 7:00 AM. Ready to go now, he glanced for a second at the nearest tree by his window.

"Hmmn, I still have to visit the memory of Obito and Rin in the memorial stone. They can wait."

He thought and then went out.

Naruto quickly hid from one of the branches as Kakashi glanced to his direction.

'Has he noticed me?' He wondered. Then, when he saw him leave, Naruto quickly jumped on to the next tree and the next until he was back in his room.

"Whew!, that chicken sure gave me a morning warm up. Yay!, it's almost seven! I'd better get ready to meet Kakashi-Sensei and the rest."

END OF CHAPTER 2


	3. Skye and the Twin Sais

**WEAVING DESTINY CHAPTER TWO: **Skye and the Twin Sais

"Watch your stance, stay firm, and keep your balance!" Ruirein (read as Ru-wi-rin) warned while advancing a strike through the head with twin sais at hand.

"On guard, Skye! Never keep your eyes off your opponent!" Ruirein continued. "Stay, focused!"

"Ugh!" Skye replied with determination as he blocked Ruirein's attacks with his long sword.

Advancing forward, stepping backward, exchanging attacks and covering every space they could on the voyager ship that would take them to the Fire Country, Skye and Ruirein continued to exchange attacks not wanting to be defeated by the other.

Ruirein have been training Skye Nieville, the Prince of the Clover Country, for this journey. They knew that crossing the Fire Country to get to the Yellow Country means danger.

"Got you!" Skye exclaimed with excitement as he pinned Ruirein down to one of the columns that hold the ship's sails.

"Really?" And Ruirein disappeared.

"A shadow clone! No fair Ruirein!" Skye angrily shouted realizing that he pinned a fake Ruirein.

"Kuchihiro-ge Kako Sanbon Shurikken!" Ruirein reappeared and threw off three shurikens fed with solar energy and twirling around one over the other. [Kuchihiro-ge Kako Sanbon Shurikken: Three flaring shurikens]

"Arrrghhhh!, play fair Ruirein!" Skye frustratingly exclaimed as he dodged the shurikens.

But Ruirein did not listen and instead continued to throw more. The shurikens were fed with Ruirein's solar energy that each strike burns the target with the heat.

After three shuriken attacks, Ruirein caught up with Skye.

"We will be battling with Ninjas, Skye" Ruirein firmly whisphered to Skye's ears while holding three shurikens against his throat.

"You can't go running about and yell - - No fair using ninjutsu *******!" She continued with a hard firm voice that commands him to never surrender. "

Skye could feel the heat from those energy fed shurikens that he started composing his self again.

"Remember your last trip to the Yellow Country?" Ruirein said, reminding Skye of that tragic incident.

Three years ago, Skye, his father, and his mother went to the Yellow Country to arrange his marriage with Princess Tyra. When they crossed the Fire Country, they were attacked by Ninjas as they were nearing their destination. Ruirein, who just happened to pass-by, helped them. But, Skye's father and mother were killed. Ruirein then accompanied Skye up to the Yellow Country's Palace. Skye's country does not have any ninjas at all and seeing what Ruirein can do he asked Ruirein to train him and become his personal bodyguard.

"Your only weapon against them, Skye is your speed and your determination. Control your emotions." Ruirein continued, snapping Skye back to present.

"Anger will only bring you more harm."

"I understand." Skye replied sincerely and with some moves that Ruirein taught him, he slipped off from being held captive, took hold of the arms that imprisoned him, and pinned Ruirein to the wall pressing her body with his.

"Got you." With a sly grin, he whispered gently into her ears as they've switched places now.

"Humph!" Ruirein grunted. "You know that won't be enough, Skye." She softly continued.

"Ah," Skye daunted and let her go.

"Okay, you win. I just let you because you are a lady. And a really pretty one, too." Skye said childishly.

"That won't work, either" Ruirein replied, twisting her lips.

"Here, take this." Ruirein, took out her sais and handed them to Skye.

"B-But…"

"No buts, Skye. You will need them more than I do. Put them together, point the blades to the sun, and see what happens."

Skye attached the sais together. Each has symbols that are custom made to serve as their connectors. Once fastened together, he pointed the twin sais to the sun and it turned into a long sword flaring with solar energy.

"Those sais were crafted mixed with my own blood, Skye. It's my blood in it that reacts with a direct hit from the sun feeding it with solar energy. From now on, the twin sais can only be separated with my death.

Skye could only look at Ruirein with awe. Fear crept through his spine as the thought of seeing those twin sais separated flashed before his mind. He gulped and took a deep breath knowing that he would not want that to happen to Ruirein.

Ruirein just smiled and continued.

"With that, you can slice through any ninjas and weaken their chakra, even up to killing them instantly."

"Awesome!" Skye replied with amazement. That was a relief.

"Should I try it on you?" Skye teasingly thrusts the sword to Ruirein knowing that no matter how fast he moves, she can always dodge it.

"Huh?" His eyes were filled with intense shock as he saw blood dripping down the floor. He looked up to Ruirein's face and shakingly asked "W-w-hy didn't you dodge?"

Ruirein just stared back gently at him as tears fall down her eyes. He could not bear to hear what she was saying.

"M-my purpose in life is through, Skye. But yours has just begun. Live on and be happy." She struggled to speak despite losing breath.

Skye drew her to his arms as she went down slowly. She smiled for the last time and closed her eyes.

"Nooo! You are a cheater Ruirein! Why didn't you dodge? Don't you dare leave me!" Skye cried angrily as he clutched her closely to his body.

"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Hihihihi…" Ruirein laughed and giggled as she stands on the cabin's roof watching over Skye.

"Arrrghhhh!" Skye exclaimed with anger as Ruirein's shadow clone disappeared from his arms.

"THAT WAS NOT A FUNNY PRANK, RUIREIN! NOOT AATT AAALLLL!"

"I got you again, didn't I? hihihihhihi…" She continues to giggle over the red faced Prince who didn't have any other choice but to leave.

He'll never win against her! He angrily left. Ever since he got Ruirein to train him and protect him, she never beings or ends anything seriously. And no matter how hard he begs for her to change, she never does. She will forever be a prankster!

Skye stepped in to his cabin annoyed and irritated not only with Ruirein but with his self, too. He knew that she always have pranks up her sleeves and yet he continues to fall for it. What's more exasperating is that she enjoys every minute that he gets annoyed.

'Grrrrrrr!" Skye roared silently to relieve him of his anger. But Ruirein was a person that was not really hard to get along with. Where she's from was still a mystery to him but he never bothered to ask her about it. He immediately trusted her his life the first time he saw her. And with all that she has done for him, he is looking forward to a time where she could repay her. Even if it means his life.

As Skye's figure disappeared into the shadows of his cabin, Ruirein stopped laughing, turned somber and took a deep breath.

She laid on her back, staring at the bright blue sky thinking about how Skye reacted over her prank. She never really expected him to act that way. After telling him that her death means the breaking up of the twin sais, he still mourned for her. Have he gone stupid that he didn't notice that or was he really just so afraid to lose her?

She have only been with him for three years and there are so many things that he doesn't know about her yet. Things that even her could not understand.

END OF CHAPTER 2


	4. Taiyougakure,HiddenVillageInTheSun

**CHAPTER THREE: **Taiyougakure, Village Hidden in the Sun

"Sai!" Naruto, greeted Sai as he saw him standing by the Konoha Gate with Sakura.

"Ohio, Sakura-chan!" he smiled sweetly.

"NAAA-RU-TOO!" Sakura replied rage. "Are you following Kakashi-sensei's footsteps? You are as late as him!"

"A-a-a-a-ah, Sakura-chan, please!" Naruto stepped back as he tries to avoid a sure hit from Sakura.

"I-I-I was late for a reason!" He tried to explain, pleading Sakura not to hit him.

"Hmmn" Sai mumbles as he went through the pages. "When a woman tries to hit you, don't hit back. Hold and hug her closer to you instead and - -"

"A-r-r-g-g-h-h!" Sakura exclaimed furiously.

Sai was unable to finish his reading as he felt a sudden rush of pain in his head. Like he have been hit with a rock!

"Y-You're useless, Sai." Naruto dizzily whispered and Sai, also getting dizzy, realized that Sakura just wacked his head with Naruto who was just about to get a hitting from her awhile ago.

"MORONS!" Sakura exclaimed back with face so red with anger.

"Haaaaay" Naruto and Sai wearily replied as they laid their backs dizzily on the ground.

After two more hours, Sakura started grumbling again.

"It's almost ten and Kakashi-sensei has not arrived yet! When will he ever improve?"

"HAAT- -!" She turned to the entrance gate in rage and was about to shout out Hatake Kakashi in rage when right in front of her was Kakashi stooping down on her.

"He-e-e…sorry, sorry…" Kakashi said with what looks like a smile behind his mask. "I met a little girl and she was cry-..."

"Liar!" Naruto and Sakura chorused before Kakashi could finish up an excuse.

"Being late always does not promote a hearty relationship with friends." Sai mumbled as he read through a page from the book.

"Good point, Sai!" Naruto said as he and Sakura giggled over Sai's naivety of what he just said.

"Ah, Naruto!" Kakashi cut in with a stern look. "I know you were late, too." He continued with a raised brow.

Naruto let out a big smile, scratching his head in a guilty posture. _'So, he did notice me'_. Naruto said to himself.

"Sai, you better keep your readings to yourself and let's start out. We are to meet the prince and his personal guard in four hours."

"W-W-What?" Naruto exclaimed.

"You know that the rendezvous point is about six hours travel from here and you came…_just…in…time_!" Naruto crossed his arms, twisted his lips and gave him a snooty face.

"If you want to head in that direction," Kakashi pointed to the direction that's supposed to get them to the meeting point. "then, it will take us six hours."

"You mean, there is a short-cut?" Sakura asked.

"Ah" Kakashi nodded cold as ever. "We'll be there in fifteen to thirty minutes before the designated meeting time."

"Why didn't you say so?" Naruto, excitedly exclaimed. "Yosh! Let's go!"

And so the team head on immediately.

After hours of heading on from tree to other, Kakashi finally signaled the team to a halt.

"This should be it." He said.

"So this is the path that leads to the village hidden from the sun?" Sakura asked as she surveyed the place.

"A village _hidden_ _from_ the sun?" Naruto asked in wonder.

"Yes," Sai replied and continued.

"You will have to follow the sun's rising ray that light up the path to be able to get to the village."

"If you are not here at the right time then, you will never be able to see the village. The sun magically hides the village from the outside world." Sakura continued.

"Really?" Naruto wondered and then looks up to the sun. "So what happened to the village? Why is the sun not hiding it anymore?"

Sai and Sakura looked at each other, and then to Kakashi. That was all they know about the village hidden from the sun so they are hoping that he could put in more information.

And so Kakashi continued…

Lost during the 3rd World Shinobi war, the Taiyougakure was a small village with only three shinobi clans. The Nikkou, Tsuuki, and the Hoishi clans. Amongst the three, the Nikkou Clan was claimed the most powerful. They possessed a very unique bloodline limit that allowed them to build a structure that will hide the village. And the sun had something to do in activating the structure's ability.

Because of their small number, Akio of the Nikkou Clan, head of the village, decided to become allies with Konoha to protect their small village.

At the rise of the war, they decided to help Konoha, except one. He was from the Hoishi Clan who believes that he would be a better leader than Akio. Betraying the village, he sent to the enemy information about the village's entry.

The village was easily outnumbered and defeated. It was believed that Akio was then slaughtered right in the eyes of his 8 year old daughter. Everyone regarded her as the weakest in the clan that no one ever suspected that the strongest bloodline limit that comes only once in a hundred year, ran through her.

The bloodline limit broke out as the little girl battled the fear and hatred brought about by her father's death. And that was the end of the village leaving the little girl as the only survivor.

She was brought to Konoha. When Sandaime and Yondaime discovered her power and seeing that she was too weak to handle it, they decided to seal it. But the seal can only be performed by someone with the rarest nature element. The procedures needed were not simple. They needed to train. But they failed. The girl was lost during an attempt to seal her powers in the middle of their mission and everyone believed that she died, except him.

Kakashi stopped and stared endlessly at the sky.

"That was tragic." Sakura softly said with a somber tone.

Sai took a deep breath realizing the truth in Sakura's words.

"Let's scout the area, we've wasted time already." He snapped back as Naruto, Sakura, and Sai waited for him to tell them more. But he did not want to continue.

"Sai, to the sky and check if you see any signs of our client. Sakura, you go south and Naruto to the east." He continued with a commanding voice.

"A-a-a-a-a-a!, You haven't ended your story yet!" Naruto insisted.

"That was the end, Naruto. Be back at this very point in 10 minutes." Kakashi said with a hard voice and went off to the west.

END OF CHAPTER 3


	5. A Mysterious Encounter

**CHAPTER FOUR: **A Mysterious Encounter

"Huuurrrmmm…" Grumping over Kakashi's refusal to tell more, Naruto went off to the direction that Kakashi instructed him to go.

He jumped from one tree branch to the other, inspecting the area and thinking how nature richly blessed this village. It must have been really wonderful living underneath this lustrous forest if it were not destroyed. And to the little girl that survived, her survival and loss, continued to trigger his curiosity that he certainly felt bad about Kakashi ending the story with only a handful of details.

What powers could she have had? Is she really still alive? What happened to the Jounin that took care of her? Why did he lose her? Wasn't he strong enough to protect her? Is he still in Konoha or has he continued to believe contrary to what the others believe and left Konoha to search for her?

Finally ending the coverage area of his Patrol, Naruto halted on a clear spring. Resting under the shade of a luscious tree, Naruto stretched his back on its trunks and lifted his neck backwards and positioned his head to rest.

In his head, he went over Kakashi's story in the viallge and suddenly, Kakashi's blank face flashed through his mind. It was as if he felt really bitter about how the rest of details of the story went on that he did not want to continue telling them.

Naruto's brows crossed as Kakashi's impassive face continued to flash before him. Later on, he realized that today was not the first time that he saw him in with that look. On that morning of their departure, he remembered him standing on his window, ignoring the cold dawn breeze, and staring endlessly at the eastern sky. Well, not that one could always see an expression in his face, but that was just totally different. It seemed to carry a totally different bitter emotion. The very same look he just had on when he stopped telling them more about the village's sole survivor.

'Hmm' He said to his self. 'I will never give up until I know. You watch out, Kakashi-Sensei! If you are not going to tell me more then, I'll find the answers myself!' Raising his right fists halfway up, Naruto fired up his unending determination.

After he patrolled the area, Kakashi side tripped to the village. This was the first time that he came to this village but he was sure that he would find the right spot. Trailing down from the gate to the center, he checked his calculations and sure enough he was right.

Almost to the center of the village is a circular spot, about 2 meters in diameter, ruined only by time. While this spot was left unblemished from that incident, the rest of what was left of the village had burnt-sienna marks, showing evidence of the existence of a dreadful power.

Kakashi stopped and stood in what looks like the center of the village's square. Here stands a 15 feet tall post where Akio was believed to have been slandered in the very eyes of his helpless daughter. In a little while, Kakashi reached in his bag and took out a head protector.

The metal on the head protector had the same damage markings as the ruins in this village are. It used to have a village's sign in it, but that could no longer be identified. The burnt-sienna markings twirled around the sign altering it completely. Kakashi took a deep breath and after looking at it for the last time, he held the head protector and fastened it to the post.

"All right! This will be cool!" Naruto untied his head protector and eagerly scooped a handful of water and washed his face. After contemplating on the story about the village's sole survivor, he noticed the stream's water glitter in the sun as if inviting him to come.

He dipped his hands in the cool water again and ran it through his neck. As he stretched his neck up, he saw clouds travelling with the wind, promising a cool shade once it hits the sun.

"Ahhhhh! That was refresh - - - GHAACK!" Naruto hardly finished up enjoying the breeze when suddenly; a lady appeared just right up to his face! He never noticed someone else was there.

Surprised with her sudden appearance, Naruto fell off his feet, rolling to the ground and ended up on rock with his butt over his head.

"Hahahahahaha!" The lady laughed hard seeing how surprised the kid was and ending up in such a position.

"You're such a funny kid." She stepped out from the water and walked towards him to help him up.

"What are you doing here spiky head? And why is your hair yellow? …hihihihihihi…" She giggled as she touched the tip of Naruto's hair after helping him up.

"SPIKY HEAD!" Naruto yelled back. "YOU GOT ME SCARED OUT THERE AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING ME A SPIKY HEAD?"

"Oh my, oh my, you have one big mouth, eh?"

"You just ruined a refreshing moment that I was enjoying and you still have the nerve to laugh at me?" Naruto continued to yell back.

"Oh?...What are you scared of?...Ghosts? - - hihihihihihi" The lady just could not stop giggling no matter how hard Naruto yells back.

"Do I look like a ghost to you?" The lady moved closer and pressed his cheeks with her palm, pouting his lips, making him feel that she was warm, and real.

Sooner than he could realize, Naruto found himself laughing, too. Her laugh was contagious that it felt like they have been friends for a long time.

"Hmmmn." The lady breathed as she tried to stop laughing and calm down. Then she smiled and sat on the rock where Naruto just ended up awhile back.

"Are you from here, kid?

"No, why?"

"Hmmn." She twisted her lips and continued to talk. "Nothing important really. It's just that this place makes me feel happy and so light-hearted. I thought you were from around this area and so perhaps you might have something to tell me about this place."

Naruto thought her smile was the sweetest that he have ever seen. Everything she wore was white. A short sleeved blouse with a wide opening in the neck and a hood that trailed down to her shoulders, up to her head fall back down to her face exposing only her lips. Her hair is probably fastened tidily behind her hood as he could see them.

Her pants, cropped just below her knees had about 8 pockets in them, all filled up. She looks to be about 20, perhaps 22, but unlike other mature ladies with heeled sandals, hers were wedged and a satin band probably half an inch wide were fastened to her sandals and tied up in a crisscross up to her legs.

The hood was transparent but it not enough for him to inspect her eyes. He could tell though that she was looking at him. And Naruto could not stop staring at her. As the clouds uncovered the sun, Naruto noticed something glittered in her forehead. _'She must be wearing some jeweled stones behind those veils_' he thought.

"Well, I am just a passerby so I'm sorry I would not be able to give you any information about this place." Naruto answered while walking back to the stream to get his head protector.

"But, I know someone who mi - - huh?" Naruto stopped talking when he looked back and found that the lady was gone.

"W-what the…?" He mumbled as he picked up his head protector. But this time, he kept his senses high in case the lady was up to something. She doesn't look dangerous though, but just in case.

"Aha!" He quickly turned to his back and faced the lady. "Got you!"

"Uh-huh." The lady nodded and chuckled with glee. When she stopped, she let out those sweet smiles at him. She does seem pretty amused over him.

"You can't trick a Konoha Shinobi twice, lady." Naruto said as he proudly posed after fastening his head protector back to his forehead.

"K-Ko-no-ha? S-Shi-no-bi?" The lady repeated slowly after him. Her voice fading away as she did so.

"Yes, that's right!" Naruto held out his hand and said "Uzumaki Naruto, the best Hokage you will ever know someday!"

The lady did not shake hands with him. Rather, she leaned forward and looked closer on his head protector like she was inspecting it.

"Argh!" She suddenly let out a soft painful cry and placed her fingers on her temples.

"Huh? What hap…?" Naruto stepped forward to help her but she stepped back. Naruto's eyes caught up with the sun that he had to close them to avoid the glare. The next time he opened them, the lady was no longer there. She had vanished again. This time, he could no longer feel her presence.

"Oh, cripes!" As suddenly as the lady vanished, so did chills of fear crept on Naruto's back. The mysterious lady appeared and disappeared in a blink of an eye. That was such a strange encounter!

"Hmn, I still have about 7 minutes to get back to the rendezvous point. I could still buy some time to go check out the village." He thought.

Arriving at the village gate, Naruto saw how the village almost melted down to nothing. Exactly what Kakashi told them. Hurriedly, he went in to the village to inspect, trying to find something he doesn't know.

'Huh! Kakashi-sensei?' He whispered softly to his self as he saw Kakashi in what looks to be the center spot of the village. He stopped and hid from one of the ruins. He could not really see what he was doing but he continued to observe him. As he patiently watched closely he began to think about the things that he have been discovering about him lately.

"Naruto!" Came a low hard voice from his back.

"Ahck!" Naruto jerked, surprised to see Kakashi standing from behind him. He left a shadow clone for him to observe.

"Hmn. Come with me." Kakashi stepped past him and led Naruto back to where he was standing. He have long sensed his presence and decided to call him after fastening the head protector to the post.

"E-he-he-he." Putting his right hand at the back of his nape, he followed Kakashi. But as he came closer, his smile faded, and his brows began to meet at the center as his eyes moved from Kakashi then to the post. Tied up to it was the old head protector that he saw him picked up from his table on that morning of their departure.

Kakashi's stern looks mellowed as he realized that Naruto must have become deeply curious with him after seeing him on that morning of their departure and then now. He halted standing on the post waiting for Naruto to catch up with him.

"Did you get anything from your patrol, Naruto?" Kakashi asked when Naruto finally came to stand beside him.

"Nah, I met mysterious white lady." He replied, excited and a little embarrassed."

Kakashi turned to look at him as if telling him to stop joking around.

"No-o-o" Shaking both his head and his hands to him. "Really, Kakashi-Sensei. I'm not joking. She suddenly appeared and disappeared to me in the flare of the sun."

"She was asking me if I were from this place." He continued as Kakashi's looks told him to continue."

"And why?"

"I-I really don't exactly know why. She said that the place seems to make her happy. Which I think is just normal, right? The stream there was cool, the breeze was fresh. I was happy myself until she showed right up to my face!"

Naruto stopped talking when he noticed that Kakashi looked satisfied with his report. Time seemed to pass slowly between them as they now both stand facing the post. After a while, they decided to go back and join the others.


	6. Shōkō Seigen: The Vanishing Light Limit

**WEAVING DEESTINY CHAPTER FIVE: **_Shōkō Seigen _: The Vanishing Light Limit

B-L-A-A-A-M-M-M!

"Sakura's Cherry Blossom!" Kakashi whisphered, alarmed with a blast to the ground that was surely coming from Sakura's herculine strike to the ground. The earth shook and he could hear the ground crumble as he hopped from one tree branch to the other. He looked back and realized that Naruto haven't caught up with him yet.

"Damn! They're in a fight!" Naruto exclaimed as he was alarmed, too. Grieving over what he just knew, Naruto sympathized with Kakashi and was finally able to understand his actions. He must've not noticed Kakashi's call for them to go. Realizing that the others will surely need immediate reinforce, Naruto quickly left the spot with a prayer and hurried to join the others.

"SHAA-NAA-ROOO!" Jumping high up in the air just above the head of a 10 feet tall summoned scorpion beast, Sakura exclaimed as she thrusts another herculine blow, this time straight on the beast's forehead bringing it down to the ground and sending it back to where it belongs.

"Choju Giga!" Sai commanded six of his ink drawn beasts to meet up with the other two giant scorpion beasts rampaging down to where he, Skye and Ruirein are standing. Just awhile ago, Sakura crushed the ground to shoo them off and give them time to calculate the situation. The six ink drawn beasts parted by three and attacked each summoned beasts by trying to nail them down to a halt.

Skye ran with the first group and Ruirein the other. He held his solar sword to the sun and immediately its blades flared with solar energy promising a power that will help him defeat the beast before him.

The scorpion beast struggled to break free from Sai's ink drawn beasts, wading its spear shaped tail wildly, and piercing through all about anything it could hit until it finally succeeded to strike Sai's beasts one after the other turning them back to ink.

Dodging the beast's tail, Skye ended up standing face to face with it. The beast advancing on him with angry eyes fired out a strong chakra blow that would crash him to death.

"BLOCK IT WITH THE SWORD SKYE!" called Ruirein as she sees the beast firing a sharp edged chakra blow on him.

Skye may not be gifted with a shinobi's abilities but he was quick to learn, quick to respond, and above all, he was strong and was really swift as the wind. Skye fixed his feet on the ground and held out his sword to prevent the blow from hitting him. Coming in on him like a 640km per hour wind, Skye held the Solar sword with his two hands.

Realizing that Skye is no shinobi, Sai advanced quickly to the back of the beast and darted three kunai knives with paper bombs tied to it. The beast quickly noticed, stopped firing at Skye and flipped back to dodge the kunai knives and swept Sai with his tail. But that was a decoy, it was an ink clone of Sai who escaped high up in a nearby tree to give Sakura a chance to shatter the beast's stance.

"SHAA-NAA-ROOO!" Sakura once again thrusts cherry blossom fists on the ground, shattering to crumbles that part of the earth from where she stands and out to the beast that just swept off an ink shadow clone of Sai.

"My chance! Thank you, swee-eet la-dy!" Skye exclaiming with thanks dashed to the beast and hopped on its back. Trying not to get off balanced, he maneuvered his self to the beast's nape and thrusts the solar blade to it. He then dragged the embedded sword as he went down slicing the beast's head into two and finally winning the battle.

"OH, S-H-I-I-T!"

"C-H-I-D-O-R-I!"

"Huh?"

"RUI-REIN BE-HIND YOU!"

"A-R-R-G-H"

"D-A-M-N! _Shōkō seigen _[Vanishing light limit]"

"O-D-A-M-A R-A-S-E-N-G-A-N!"

Panting to the ground, Sakura, Sai, and Skye stood by to witness a fast paced fateful battle.

Ruirein, concerned of Skye's safety, lost her guard after seeing him face a fierce chakra blow from the other summoned beast. She jumped high to avoid the other summoned beast as it reached her earlier than she calculated.

The summoner combined a wind style whirling wind technique, that the beast with an increased speed approached Ruirein like a giant drill leaving her with no other choice of escape but to jump high in the air and fall back with a strike using her twin sais. It will then be her medium to feed the beast with a huge amount of solar energy and burn it down.

"OH, S-H-I-I-T!" she cried in mid-air realizing that she only have a little chance of surviving if the beast continues its drilling motion after she lands on it with a strike.

Judging from the beast's rotating speed, Kakashi realized that the lady in mid-air will certainly end up grinded if the beast continues with its drilling motion once she thrusts her sais to it.

"C-H-I-D-O-R-I!" With flaring lightning in his hands and the sound of a thousand birds, Kakashi charged his chidori head-on to stop the beast just about a split second before Ruirein landed with a strike of her twin sais.

"Huh?" Startled for whatever reason, Ruirein kneeling low with both hands fixed on the twin sais now embedded to the beast, looked up to see what caused the flashing light and the sound of a thousand birds. Flashes of light distracted her that she failed to feed in solar energy that would destroy the beast as planned.

"RUI-REIN BE-HIND YOU!" Skye yelled with fear as he sees the beast stomping its tail to the ground and bouncing back to charge its spear-shaped tip towards the distracted Ruirein.

"A-R-R-G-H!" she cried in great pain as the scorpion's spear shaped tail pierced through her back. Her eyes glowed with intense light as she tries to push and keep the tail from piercing further through her by concentrating her chakra to that very point. But as she continually increased her chakra, she started turning transparent until she vanished from everyone's eyes.

"D-A-M-N! _Shōkō seigen _[Vanishing light limit]" Kakashi, recognizing the fate that might fall on them, lifted his head protector to expose his left eye and used his sharingan to try and search for her with her chakra.

Confirming to his theory, he jumped on to where Ruirein was on the beast and grabbed her just as the beast pulled its tail back with the intention of pinning its prey to the ground.

"O-D-A-M-A R-A-S-E-N-G-A-N!" As soon as he saw Kakashi lifting his self off the scorpin's back like carrying something he could not see, Naruto charged and thrusts a giant rasengan from behind the beast just before its tail struck the ground. The rasengan blew off a huge impact to the beast sweeping it off and down to a nearby cliff.

Immediately, Sakura ran to aid Kakashi with Skye following after her. Sai flew off to the sky to search for the ninja who summoned the beasts.

"Naruto, come with me!" Sakura called on to Naruto and he too rushed to where Kakashi is.

"It can't be." With disbelief, Kakashi exclaimed softly as he carried Ruirein to the nearest shady tree. As he laid her down to his knees, supporting her head with his arms, the tree's shadow started eliminating the light that enveloped her and she started to materialize.

"P-por-cu-pine he-ad" Ruirein wearily mocked and weakly chuckled as she coughed blood out.

"Ah" Kakashi grimaced.

"Ruirein, stop with the names again." Skye knelt down and held her hands. "You should be thanking the guy, you know. He just saved you from being grinded by that beast."

All worried and concerned with her possible end, Skye lectured Ruirein in effort ease her pain. But she just glanced back at him blankly and fainted away.

"A-a-h-ck!" Naruto exclaimed with large eyes. "Kakashi-sensei, she was the mysterious lady I told you about."

"You've met her?" Sakura asked. She came forward and started checking her. "Please lift her up a bit Kakashi-sensei. I need to stop the bleeding. She's loosing blood."

"Yes, she mysteriously appeared and reappeared in the stream where my patrol ended."

"They've gone off quickly, Kakashi-Taichou." Sai interrupted with a report.

"What just happened to her…" Skye tried to ask Kakashi but didn't know what to address him. They arrived in the meeting point with only Sakura and Sai greeting them.

A few minutes after their introductions, the scorpion beasts appeared out of nowhere and started attacking them.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sakura said as she continued to check and stop the bleeding from Ruirein's blood.

"Prince Skye, this is our team captain, Kakashi-sensei. And over there is Naruto. Kakashi-sensei, this is Prince Skye and the lady you're holding is his personal bodyguard, Ruirein."

"Naa-ruto!" Sakura interrupted as Naruto tried to open his mouth for another exclamation.

"Hurmm." He crossed his arms and silenced his self with a frown.

"My apologies for what happened Skye-Sama." Kakashi nodded in respect to their client.

"The Vanishing Light Limit. Your personal bodyguard seemed to possess a bloodline limit that allows her to vanish by camouflaging herself with the sunlight. And I think, it just got activated after experiencing such pain and grave danger awhile ago."

"Hmn, she does that all the time. Wherever we go, she'd sit on top of the wagon or patrol the area in such a manner to conceal her presence." Skye said opposing Kakashi's point of it being just activated.

"Yeah, THAT – I believe was how she managed to appear and reappear before me awhile back." Naruto supported.

"Hmmn –" Kakashi halted with an alarming expression. "If she has already mastered that level, we could have all been consumed awhile back then."

"What?" They all exclaimed realizing that they were about to face a danger greater than those giant scorpions.

Kakashi continued.

"Yes, from the looks of how her eyes glowed with intense light before she vanished, she could have activated the next level – Jiguku Ikari Taiyo no Honoo, known as The Hell's Wrath Solar Flames. It consumes its target with intense heat and vanish them in thin light. We have with us a person that carries a weapon that could bring the sun down and melt the entire world."

Kakashi stopped and looked how everybody's faces glared at him with fear.

"But, that – is – just my theory and I could be wrong." He smiled from behind his mask trying to lighten up their feelings.

"I'll have to take off her mask to –"

"Please, don't." Skye interrupted Kakashi's plans. "She firmly instructs not to take her hood or mask off whenever she's wearing them. If you want to take a closer look at her, you can do it when she takes them off by night."

"Aha!" Naruto exclaimed teasingly and with a teasing tone he continued. "Kakashi-sensei, finally found someone that interests you, have you?" and he let out a big smile.

"Ahh! Na-ru-to!" Sakura scolded him to stop teasing. But deep inside her was her inner self with a big smile saying, 'Hell yeah Naruto! Good to see Kakashi-sensei feeling knick-knacks behind somebody else's masks, too!'

"Ah, stupid." Kakashi coldly replied with a sigh, dropping his shoulders in disappointment to Naruto's response. After all that he has told him back in the Sun Village, he still did not understand what his theory could mean.

"I think Miss Ruirein will be fine now." Sakura finally said. "We just need to take her where I can tend to her wounds and wrap bandages to it."

"You can use my wagon." Skye said. "And please don't regard her as my personal bodyguard since to me, she is a very special friend. Thank you for tending to her Sakura-chan." Skye continued with a relieved face.

Kakashi carried Ruirein in to the wagon with Sakura and left her to tend to her wounds. After a while the convoy started to move on to cover as much distance as they could.

END OF CHAPTER FIVE


	7. Flashing Light and the Sound of a Thousa

Hi, thank you for reading. I'd really want to hear from you in the review section or you can send me a message. Speak out, I'm not afraid to face negative comments – they help me improve. Positive ones – inspire me and keep me going on.

**WEAVING DESTINY CHAPTER SIX:** Flashing Light and the Sound of a Thousand Birds!

Dark clouds surround the midnight sky, while the forest casts shadows of danger to three teens running for their lives. They headed to an open space, and after awhile, she found herself exposed in the open air, unsafe but willing to put her life in despair. She could sense urgency of their task as her two companions scurried to a fast paced motion while she waits helplessly in the center.

The sky suddenly glared with anger while thunder roared and lightning, the earth slandered. In the midst of turmoil, she heard chirping birds, one, two, three, no – seems like a thousand! She opened her eyes and before her was a silhouette of a young man dashing towards her with flares and flashes of light.

'_Should I die today,' _she said, _'my love for you will always stay.' _ Tears started to fall on her left eye, if she departs from the world tonight; he'll never ever know how he gives her heart light.

"NOOOOO!" Trembling with fear, she screamed as dark clouds spark up with lightning beams. Crashing angrily down from the sky, he must stop coming to her or he'll die.

"#$%, S-T-O-O-P!" She cried out for him to stop, his name, her mind could not make up. He did not cease with her pleas, lighting struck him and consumed him down. She struggled to break free, from whatever it is that holds her captive, she just could not see.

"NO! NO!, A-H-H-H-H-H-H-H!" Tears continued to fall from her weary eyes. And as she screamed in rage, her heart burned with anger that she could feel an intense heat breaking free from her.

"A-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H!" She continued to scream. Fear, hatred, rage, and pain continued to consume her in vain.

"DAMN IT! I need a dark cloak or something! Cover the wagon and keep the sun out!"

Kakashi hurried inside the wagon as soon as Sakura called out to him in panic. She just saw Ruirein stood up as her eyes opened with the same intense glow as five days ago and now she's starting to disappear again.

Naruto, and Sai quickly covered the wagon. As per Sakura's request earlier, it was let down to fill it with the early morning breeze. "Good for healing", she said.

Sakura stood by for assistance while Skye scampered for a dark blanket and gave it to Kakashi. He quickly wrapped her with it and made sure that not one single ray of sun reaches her.

"Miss! Miss!" Kakashi called out to wake her up after she materialized again. His hands still fastened to the blanket that he used to wrap her up. She shook her gently to consciousness and when she did, she felt so weak that she started falling down. Kakashi quickly caught her up in his arms for support. He could feel her body against his, trembling with fear and anger.

Panting and out of breath, Ruirein felt a familiar warmth that she drew closer to him and tried to calm down. She looked up to him and searched his eyes. And with trembling lips she started to smile.

"P-po—"

"Ruirein!" Skye interrupted her. He knew that mocking smile so much and he knew that she was going to call him names again. There was something different with her today and five days ago though. But he knew those smiles will just utter out foul words.

"Hey! Who are you and get off me, PERVERT!" she exclaimed upon realizing that she have just been dreaming and that before her is a strange man holding her in a blanket.

"OI! DON'T YOU DARE THINK OF KAKASHI – SENSEI THAT WAY!" Naruto came rushing in with raised fists ready to give her a blow but Kakashi met up with him half and halted him.

"HA! YOU ARE SUCH AN UNGREATFUL LADY! KAKASHI-SENSEI SHOULD HAVE JUST LEFT YOU GRINDED AND DEAD WITH THAT SCORPION BEAST FIVE DAYS AGOOO!

"Naruto! Stop it." Kakashi scolded him in a low, hard voice. His back turned against Ruirein and Skye.

"I-I-m sorry, leave me alone please." Coming back to her senses, Ruirein bowed down in shame and apologized. The young man's words hit her like a double bladed sword.

"SORRY? IS THAT ALL THE BEST YOU CAN DO!"

"Naa-ru-to! Stop it already!" Sakura interrupted and stood right up to his face. "Come on, she must have had a really hard time. Please calm down."

"I'm really sorry for all this, Kakashi – sir." Skye said embarrassed with Ruirein's actions. "Naruto," he continued with a smile. "I'm sure she never meant all of this to happen.

"Well, she'd better not!" Naruto replied gritting his teeth.

"Ah." Kakashi sighed in disappointment to Naruto's actions. "No, Skye-sama. It should be us who should be sorry."

"Naruto, they are our clients and we should not act as such towards them." Sakura whispered firmly and dragged Naruto out of the wagon.

"Please excuse us, Skye-sama." Kakashi said. "And I'm really sorry Miss, for offending you with my actions."

"Huh?" Ruirein looked up to him, surprised to hear him apologize after about everything she thought of his actions. She sighed and looked away from him in embarrassment as she met his gaze. She felt guilty about how she thoughtlessly reacted toward him.

When everyone left, Skye stared down at Ruirein bothered with everything that has happened. He never knew the mystery about her origin nor did he bother to check on her past. Ruirein coiled to herself helplessly and is seemingly lost over something. This is the first time Skye ever saw her in a gloomy mood. She always has a really serious, intimidating aura but she was always cheerful. Seeing her like this was something he never knew how to handle before.

In a little while, Skye felt something warm in his heart that he has never felt before. No, it all seemed like it has been there all the time but her cheerfulness kept them down. He wanted to hold her close, comfort her and tell her that she has someone she could cry on. Hesitatingly, he slowly dropped on his knees closer to her and took a deep breath.

Ruirein sensing Skye close to him looked up to him with that familiar serious face and intense determination in her teary eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, My Prince." She said coldly trying not to break her words. "I have a duty to attend to." And she vanished in the light.

He felt her leave when her hooded cloak touched him as she covered it on her. After years of being together like friends that was the first time he addressed him as Prince again.

Ruirein left Skye and stood up in her usual post outside the wagon.

"Ah, glad to see you're back, Miss Ruirein!" called the wagon driver. He could not see her but he knows how the 8 horses would react whenever she's around.

"Good morning, Mr. Devlin, Sir." She replied trying to put a cheer in her tone. But her voice crackled as she continued to think about what could have happened. From what the young man said, that silvered haired man should have left her grinded and dead five days ago.

'Hmn, that was Uzumaki Naruto' she whisphered softly to herself. 'The funny yellow haired boy I met at the spring when we I patrolled our rendezvous point.' She said with a smile remembering how they met.

'Ah,' She sighed to herself. 'What just did happen five days ago?'

"OH, S-H-I-T!" she heard herself curse as she tried to recall how she lost guard after underestimating a summoner and a summoned beast combo.

She remembered tightening her grip to her sais as she prayed for someone to stop the beast from its high speed drilling motion. She had no other choice of escape but high up. However, it was a risk for her as she will eventually fall right back to where the beast would be. She does not have the capabilities to jump higher such that the beast would have already gone past her when she falls back. Praying for reinforcement, she decided to thrust her sais on the beast and feed it with solar energy to burn.

With her prayers answered, sure enough just before she landed, the beast came to a halt. But as it did so, flashes of light and the chirping sound of what seemed like a thousand birds shattered her focus. In that brief moment, looking up to where the flashing light and the sound came from, the silhouette of a young man running towards her suddenly appeared before her eyes. She could sense that danger was upon the two of them that she prayed he would come. However, a lightning strike stopped him from coming to her, consuming his energy and leaving him half dead to the ground.

With what seemed to be his last breath, he held out his hands toward her and cried out her name. She cried back with his name, too. But she could not make up what their names are; only something inside her told her that those names were hers and his.

The vision was totally blurry that the images came to her like dark shadows in the light. All she can see are flashes of light and as the sound of a thousand birds faded, so did the young man's life seem to have ended.


	8. Beneath the Hood

CHAPTER 7: Beneath the Hood: What the mind forgets, the heart remembers.

"Hrmm…this journey is so boring. We have been travelling for a week now and all I do is sitting in this travel wagon." Naruto mumbled to his self.

Skye insisted that they all ride in the wagon instead of doing their regular method in going to places during missions. And it just made Naruto so bored.

"Oi, Naruto." Kakashi interrupted his thoughts. "Don't let your guard down just because we are sitting down here."

"Well, why do we get to sit here while that ungrateful Miss is out somewhere to—"

"You didn't get it didn't you? She's sits on watch up in the first wagon." Kakashi dropped his shoulders, and rolled his eyes. Disappointed that Naruto was unable to sense a nearby chakra hiding from everyone else.

"Aha! Is that why you go up the wagon, too?" Naruto said with a ghostly voice and smiled teasingly. "Ehehehe…Kakashi-sensei, are you spying on her? Does she interest you ha,'ttebayo!"

"Enough, Naruto!" scolded Kakashi pissed off with both his stupidity and his questions. "You're on watch now! Go out to the wagon top and stay on guard." Kakashi ended punishing him. He then took out his book, ignored Naruto's disapproving look and sat down to start reading.

Naruto could not argue any further so he went up grumbling. But just as Naruto was about to go up, the caravan came to a halt.

"We have company!" Ruirein materialized and announced a warning. "Looks like a squadron, 20 meters ahead!"

"Yooosh! I sense action here!" Naruto excitedly took off as quickly as he can to the direction that Ruirein pointed.

Kakashi and the rest stepped out and seeing that Naruto went on ahead, tried to stop him but they were too late. He've already went past Ruirein.

"Hey, wait up!" Ruirein cried as Naruto went past her in high speed. "Stupid boy! We don't know what the situation is yet!"

She immediately followed him to grab him to a halt but Naruto just laughed at her. True enough; in a split of second, they all hear a loud explosion.

Naruto, unable to assess the situation got hit with an explosive-driven arrow in his left thigh. Calculating as quickly as she could, Ruirein sped up with him, catching him in mid-air, and breaking his fall. Soon the others took cover as the advancing party rained arrows toward Naruto and Ruirein.

"Doton, Earth wall technique" In a lightning flash speed, Kakashi followed through them with an Earth Wall to keep the arrows from hitting them.

Kneeling on her left knee with Naruto on her left shoulders, Ruirein looked up to him and met his gaze.

"Mah, you two are just so reckless." He responded coldly responded to Ruirein's gaze with drowsy eyes.

Ruirein flared up but held back and did not say a word. She still owe the man lot of apology and a dozen thank you's.

"Stop!" Skye came out from hiding. "Captain Riusu! It's me, Skye of the Clover Country!"

Its Captain Riusu's squad from the Yellow Country and he recognized Skye. They are already within the boundaries of the Yellow Country, then, almost to the end of their journey.

"We are happy to have found you in advance Prince Skye." The captain said as soon as things have been settled down. "We bring you grieve news. A month ago, the palace was invaded and the royal family murdered. We were only able to rescue the four year old prince from the tragedy of that night."

"Who would do such a thing and what is their purpose?" Skye asked.

"I don't know. But they call themselves shinobis."

Skye looked up to Kakashi hoping he know something about it.

"Shinobis? Shinobis live in hidden villages; do you happen to get any info as from which village they are from?" Kakashi asked.

"No, I don't think they have a village of their own. They wanted to take over Yellow Country so they can have a place of their own as they say."

"Rogue Ninjas, then. Most of them are outcasts or criminal ninjas from their village." Sai contributed info.

"They seem to have heard about your trip, your highness. They are planning to go after your country next. I heard they call their leader Saburo. And his left and right hand were Ryu, and Shin."

'Huh?' Kakashi silently exclaimed, and did his best to hide his expression as two instances caught him by surprise. First is with the name of the ninjas and second is with what he is witnessing. About 10 meters from where he sits are Sakura, Naruto, and Ruirein under the shade of a big tree. He could see clearly how Ruirein used a unique palm healing technique on Naruto's injured leg.

"Please allow me to do it, Sakura." Ruirein said kindly. She wanted to make it up with Naruto and make amendments of her actions 3 days ago.

Sakura granted her request and Ruirein started her operation. The three hooked 2-inched diameter arrow plunged past Naruto's leg. Pulling it outward would mean more injury. Ruirein instilled a soft solar energy into the arrow breaking it half-way within Naruto's legs and pulled them apart without touching it.

With her palms facing the wound, one on each side of the wound, she applied what looked like a chakra but its color varied and can be compared to that of an early morning sky. Naruto's wounds closed in after a minute and not a trace of it can be found.

"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura were surprised with the results.

"You heal very fast, Naruto." Ruirein said and smiled. "Uzumaki Naruto, the greatest Hokage I'll ever know someday, right?" She continued trying to reminisce him with their first meeting. But she was only disappointed and her smile faded.

"I'm – " she paused for a sigh after seeing that it did not work on him. "I'm really sorry about everything that has happened, Naruto. I promise you, I will apologize to your teacher and thank him for all that he has done." She smiled with sincerity.

Naruto glared back at her as if measuring how sincere her words are and then smiled to see that she was truthful to her promise.

"You're sorry you called him pervert?" Naruto said.

Ruirein, nodded seriously and embarrassed.

"Ehehehehe, don't blush. I also think that he is, 'ttebayo!" Naruto said with a big smile.

"Naa-ruu-to!" Sakura exclaimed hitting him at the back of his head.

"Aye, aye, Sakura-chan. It's true! He keeps reading books from Ero-sannin and you know how pervert Ero-sannin, is right? Do you think he will write decent novels?" Naruto reasoned out as fast as he can.

"Argh! Stupid! That is none of your business! You should stop sticking your nose to Kakashi-sensei, Naruto! I know you have been very nosy about him lately." Sakura continued lecturing him with a hard voice.

"Okay, sorry, sorry." He said while looking at Ruirein who was chuckling over what he just said.

"So, perhaps I can tell her to at least say sorry for calling him a porcupine head?"

Sakura laughed.

"I did not call him that." Ruirein opposed.

"Oh yes you did!" Naruto said.

Ruirein tried to reason that she never remembered calling Kakashi such names and so did Naruto. Sakura testified and told her when she called him porcupine head. Naruto called Sai for support as he seemed to be doing nothing in the other party and Ruirein stopped rebattling.

"Okay, I believe you all now. I'm really sorry though because I do not really remember. But since you both testified that I did, okay. I'll tell him sorry for that, too." Ruirein assured them and sat down taking off her mask and revealing a really disturbed look.

With mouth opened wide in surprise, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai suddenly stopped breathing as they admired before them a kind, gentle face, whose beauty can be compared to that of an angel. Her hair was yellow as sunrise and her eyes were colored like a burned sienna clay. But their admiration did not last long as they noticed traces of confusion in her face. Sakura knelt beside her while Sai and Naruto, still spell bound by her beauty, stood with their back against the group on the other side.

"What's the matter, Miss Ruirein?" Sakura asked with concern.

"I-I really don't know, Sakura. These past few days have been really brought me strange things, things that I could not explain, maybe because I do not have any memory of my past." Ruirein said trying to hold back her tears.

"Huh?" Naruto and Sai looked at each other. While Sakura gave her a more concerned look.

"What's worse is that, I have been having blurry visions that somehow make me feel like it connects to my past. And yet, all I have with me that may connect me to my past is this mark in my forehead." She lifted her head so that they could see.

"I-I don't see any marks." Naruto replied.

"Ah, I forgot; the tree's shadows. The night or any shadow or shade hides it. And if I go out of this shade and in to the sun, it would seem to react to any hint of light by glowing radiantly, and blocking my vision."

"Is that why you wear a hood while traveling or a mask while fighting?." Sakura concluded with a question.

"Yes, to hide it from the light and prevent it from glowing. So, there is no way for me to flaunt it in the open and hope that whoever knows about it would recognize me. The only way to see it is by lighting it up with a healer's mystique palm technique. Try it Sakura."

Sakura held her palm against her forehead and applied a mystique palm technique. In a short while, the chakra from Sakura's palms slowly traced a strange marking on her forehead revealing a strange mark that runs across her forehead.

(Ruirein's mark)

"T-that doesn't look like an ordinary mark." Sai said taking a closer look.

"What do you mean, Sai?" Sakura asked back. She believes that Sai knows a lot of things than they do. He was a member of the Black Ops, after all.

"Well, I'm not really sure though but it looks like an incomplete seal."

"Achk? An incomplete seal?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Yes, I can't really remember what yours is, Miss Ruirein, but – well, I'm not really sure. So it can just be a birthmark or something that looks like a seal."."

"Ahhh..."Naruto's brows crossed, pissed off with Sai's unsure answer. "You better keep your thoughts to yourself, 'ttebayo!." He continued with a smirk.

"Don't push yourself, Sai." Ruirein said with a gentle tone. "I believe that there's more to finding your memory than the traces of your past."

"Nii-san." Naruto said with a concerned tone and a worried look.

"Yes, Naruto." Nodded Ruirein and with a smile filled with determination, she said;

"I continued to live believing that someone has been protecting me all my life, believing in my existence, and have unceasingly looked for me. So, just as that person has continued to look for him, so will I. I will not stop until I find that person."

"But how?" Naruto asked with a puzzled look.

"Ah, that's very simple, Naruto." Ruieren let out a soft laugh and continued with hopeful eyes. "The heart remembers what the mind forgets. So, I will find that person with my heart."

"And what makes you think you will when you are not even sure where you got that mark? You can't even see clearly though your visions."

"Because visions in your memory can be altered but the feelings in your heart could never be rid of." Ruirein put on her mask, stood up and prodded Naruto's heart with one finger.

"Hrmm, I still don't get it."

"Ah, you're as stupid as ever Naruto" Sakura said disappointingly.

"Don't worry Naruto" Ruirein gave her a smile of assurance. "I'm sure you'll get it someday. Trust me."

"Cya, we still have a battle to prepare for." Ruirein concluded, patting Naruto's head with a wink. She could see Skye in him when he was 16, three years ago. She has been taking care of Skye like a sweet little brother. Now, he's 18 and is getting ready for marriage. As to how old she is, she doesn't know. 20, 22? Or probably older.

"Aha, Sai! You didn't get it, too didn't you?" Naruto turned to Sai with a big smile. "Cya, cya, open up your book and find me an answer 'ttebayo.!"

"Ossu, Naruto!" And Sai agreed.

"Arrrgh! Why am I stucked with 2 stupid beings?" Sakura grunted seeing how stupid the two boys are.

"Ahahaha…c'mon now you three, we still have things to do." Ruirein heartily laughed realizing that these shinobi's before her, strong as they may be are still kids by heart.

"You clean up that mess, Naruto!" Sakura said as punishment for Naruto's stupidity and grabbed Sai with her. "And you will help me over there!"

Helplessly, Naruto obeyed Sakura and picked up what is there to be cleaned. Then, something caught his eyes. Exactly at the spot where Ruirein once sat is a ninja's head protector. The sign is unrecognizable though. It was as if it had been totally damaged in a battle. Not knowing who it belongs to, he picked up and placed it in his bag.

From behind the walls of the palace, a dark silhouette figure of a tall man stands by the window gazing out into the open.

"Master Saburo" a subordinate shinobi bows in the presence of his master's discreet mood and continued with a report.

"We have confirmed that the Prince's party is nearby. Captain Riusu's squad also met up with them."

"And the spy?" came a cold response.

"Affirmative, master. The spy is with them."

"Good! I shall come to see them by then." And he left with an evil smile.


	9. Fate or Coincidence

WD CHAPTER 8: Fate or Coincidence?

Skye grieved over loosing the royal family of the Yellow Country but he did not allow it to weaken him. Despite the arranged marriage for royal stability, the Princess had been a very good friend to him. As heir to the throne, he must uphold their family's virtue and part of that is to help the Yellow Country protect a powerful symbol. Those shinobis may not only be after getting a village of their own.

He needs Ruirein's advice but he could not find her. After what happened when she woke up three days ago, she has kept her presence from him and that was just so unusual of her. No pranks from her, no picking, everything was at peace and yet so unusual.

'She'll show up herself, soon'. He said to his self and joined the rest of the group who have gathered together in the campfire.

Sakura, Sai, and Naruto joined in too as they have been relieved of their posts. And 500 meters away from them, beneath the shadows of the trees, is a man surveying the vast area of an open space, whose grasses glittered from the light of the moon above him.

"Hiding with the Vanishing Light Limit at night times wastes too much chakra eh, Miss?"

Startled, Ruirein materialized and jerked to face where the voice was coming from, her back against the moon hiding her unmasked face from the shadows of herself.

'Oh, darn, a shadow clone!' She whispered dully to herself. She was just behind him while he stood under the moon's light gazing out to the wide space. And now, he stands under the moon-cast shade of a tree behind her.

"I know that you have been following me every night, so tonight, I thought that it would be a good time for you to reveal your intentions." He demanded with a firm cold voice.

"I did not." Ruirein denied. "I-I was just - -"

"I could you see," A pause and he continued. "despite your ability, I could see through you."

Ruirein's twisted her lips in shock. He was right, she have been following him. But she means no harm. For the past three nights she have been gathering her courage to approach him to apologize about her actions and to ask him what exactly happened to her. She feels that he knows something more than anyone in the group. Besides, his dominant aura is so familiar that she could feel that a part of her past must have come from where has.

"Y-you can see me?"

"Ah, clear as the moon above you." He replied coldly and with his hands against his head, he leaned his back to the tree, one foot on the ground the other bended resting on the tree and his head held up to the moon.

"B-but how?"

"You envelop yourself with light causing everything to reflect against the naked eyes. It works efficiently at daytimes because your bloodline has the ability to manipulate solar radiation allowing you to gather as much light as you can. You are most likely Water, Earth, or both by element since water and earth have specifically high heat capacities allowing you to store solar energy reserves when the sun is out.

This makes the Vanishing Light Limit inefficient by night because you concentrate your chakra to convert your stored solar energy into that certain amount of light you needed to envelop yourself."

"And what does that have to do about you seeing me?"

"Ah! You don't get it, do you?" He lowered his head to her direction.

"You send off intense chakra signal in the entire process that High Class ninjas could easily detect, making you an easy target." With a soft sarcastic laugh, he stood straight, shaking his head and dug his hands into his pocket.

'_Damn this man!' _ Ruirein gritted her teeth, enraged with his sarcasm.

Never has anyone treated her this way! And what's worse is she could not fight back. His personality is just too strong for her to handle. Plus, he was right about using the vanishing Slight limit at night. She did not realize, though that her chakra transmission can be an easy target for enemies that way.

"And you're a High Class ninja?" She tried to reply back with sarcasm. But he only continued to sarcastically laugh at her that she felt her entire body blush with anger!

"Is this what this is all about - - a show off of your class? It's a pity though; you would have to wait for the night to sense my presence." She mocked.

"Mah, even if I am, I don't have to use any sensing skills to find you nor do I have to wait for the night to come. I can see you both day and night, with light or without light." He bragged.

"Ha! Trying to be a god?" She replied a little intoned this time; her anger reached her voice that she could not help but let it out.

"No/ But I have these."

In a blink of an eye, he now stands just an inch apart from her face that she totally lost her focus and fell off balanced. Kakashi swiftly caught her up in to his arms and she shrugged him off to help herself up.

"My name is Hatake, Kakashi."

He said with a low respectful voice. He tried to take a closer look on her face to confirm something but she was quick to avoid.

"So who are you, where are you from and what is your purpose here?" with a firm interrogative voice, Kakashi asked Ruirein.

"What? Are you interrogating me like I'm some sort of a spy?"

"I didn't say that. You did."

"Argh!" unable to hold back, Ruirein took off her sais and intends to charge toward him but she was unable to move. Before she could take a single step, Kakashi was behind her with both her wrists imprisoned with one hand and her nape the other, immobilizing her to move forward.

"Not so fast young lady."

"Hah! And that was fast for you?"

'A shadow clone' Kakashi was surprised that she outrun her with a shadow clone. He was about to turn her into the moon light but she disappeared. Now, she stands on one of the trees' branches behind him with a black cloak and hood on.

"Kuchihiro-ge Kako Sanbon Shurikken! (_three flaring shurikkens_)"

Before Kakashi could move, three shurikkens, flaring like the sun came twirling around one after the other towards him, hitting three of his vital points.

"Getting rid of me, eh?" Kakashi whisphered softly from behind Ruirein's ears. He was so close that she could hear him breath underneath his mask. She was standing on one of the trees' branches when she threw him shurikkens and she only hit a replacement.

"I can't believe you'd really want to kill me."

"You bet I would!" gnashing between her teeth Ruirein did a sideward flip, took out her sais, put them together to form a sword. Landing back on the same branch, she swayed her sword to slice through but failed. With his kunai, Kakashi blocked her sword and they both ended up with a forward stance battling strength against strength.

"Hmn! Not bad, you're quite strong." He mockingly said.

Ruirein's eyes flared like fire as her anger dug deeper through her. Panting with frustration, she broke through the truce pushing Kakashi's kunai off her sword. Kakashi jumped off to gain his balance and Ruirein followed through him in mid air with successive attacks. Each of the attacks failed as he blocked each of them swiftly with his kunai.

"Hmn! And you're good with your sword, too. But not as good as keeping your emotions to yourself!" Kakashi scolded with a low voice as he tugged Ruirein to the nearest tree.

"Focus in the fight, and don't let your anger drive you." He whispered fiercely from the back of her head.

Ruirein's eyes widened as those words tried to surface from the depths of her mind with a deafening echo. It felt like she has been lectured with those words a million times before.

"P-please, I-I don't mean any harm." She said with a broken voice. She tried to hold back the tears that usually replaces her anger and frustration. But then, the echo of his words continually rung through her head causing an unendurable pain.

Kakashi felt her anguish that he carefully let go of her. The silence between them caused an eerie air that they just stood still with their backs to the moon, facing the tree.

"I-I j-just wanted to apologize with my behavior and I guess I just caused more." She finally spoke out. She wanted to turn and face him but it felt like her feet were glued to the ground.

Kakashi did not say a word. He did not really feel anything dangerous on her but he can't be complacent, too. With one hand on his pocket, he stepped a little to the side to let the moonlight shine on her back.

"Please forgive my behavior, I beg of you." Taking off her hood she turned to face him with knees down to ground and head bent down in respect. "I'm begging you."

"Huh?" shocked with her display of sincerity, Kakashi went down on his knees and held her by her shoulders and motioned her to get up but she refused to. She lifted her head to face him and put her trembling palms together as if to pray.

"Please, kind Sir. I've really been having a lot of confusions in these past few days." She said with shaky voice." She stared straight to his eyes and for a moment, their world stopped spinning. It just occurred to her that she had seen those eyes before. Tough but gentle, ever ready to strike but is swift to protect. She heaved a deep sigh as her heart suddenly felt like burning. It all felt like she has known him from somewhere, but where? In her dreams? In her past? And then she stopped thinking and continued with what she has wanted to ask him.

"I-I know it should not be an excuse for my actions towards you, but I really hope you would be considerate and accept my apologies."

Kakashi let out a deep sigh and what looked like a gentle smile formed from beneath his mask telling her that it was alright.

"Ah, that's really nothing." He assured. With his arms still on her shoulders, once again he motioned her to stand up with him and she did.

Kakashi then walked past her to leave.

"Please, let me ask you something before you go." Ruirein called to halt him and he did.

"Okay, go ahead."

"W-What hap-pened to me - - back there?" She stammered. "In the rendezvous point, I mean."

Quite surprised with her question he turned to face her and walked back to her.

"You did not know?"

"N-No – y-yes – I-I don't know…I'm all confused. I never really had any memory of who I am, where I am from but those things never bothered me until, -"

"You have a special kind of bloodline limit that would have killed us all if I haven't stopped it."

Ruirein's brows crossed in confusion.

"Your ability to conceal yourself with light is one. And what could have burst out that day was another at a different level; a level that could consume an entire village."

"How - -"

"You lost your guard when I gave you back up. I knew you had a plan but aside from you being unable to calculate how high you should jump to fall back to the ground while the beast must have gone past you, you just knelt down with your sword buried to the beast, stunned and unable to move."

"I-I have exactly calculated the height that I needed to jump up but I do not have the capabilities of jumping that high." She lowered her head in admission to her weakness. "I think I must have injured my ankles badly somewhere in my past, disabling me to kick start a higher jump."

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing her words. First was the bloodline limit, and now her incapability to jump higher like a normal ninja? Surely, those could not just be coincidences.

He could never forget that tragic night. He was 16 and she was probably 12. If she is who he thinks she is, then he's doomed. If he gets a chance to explain things, will she ever forgive him? Every time their paths cross, she seems to be getting closer to the person whom he had taken a lot from; her friends, her love, and her life. Is fate trying to get back at him? Is this all but a coincidence? Or is this all just a ghost from the past that continually haunts him?

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT


	10. The Ghost that Haunts from the Past

WEAVING DESTINY CHAPTER 9: The Ghost that Haunts from the Past

"Oi, Naruto," Sakura called Naruto who was just yawning for a rest. "Kakashi-sensei has been gone for quite some time now. I'm beginning to get worried."

"Ah, don't worry about him. He's old enough to take care of his self." Naruto replied while he placed his sleeping mat on the ground.

"Kakashi-sensei is probably just around a tree or somewhere, reading his books while his mind wanders over the contents of that bo- - a-h-ack! Sakura-chan, please stop hitting me." Naruto begged as he holds his freshly beaten head.

"I'll only stop until you learn not to say nasty things in front of a woman!"

"B-bu – but at least I was not so specific with the words this time!"

Sakura glared back at Naruto and continued to lecture Naruto who never ran out of excuses. The trees swayed with the wind as Naruto and Sakura's argument faded farther into the open space.

Kakashi felt like the ghost who has been haunting him for years is now starting to show up as he continued to listen to Ruirein.

"Then why did you stop?" He asked. What she would say about that incident in the meeting point might lead him to a solid conclusion.

"I saw flashing lights and heard chirping birds…There were like a thousand of them." Ruirein said with anxiously.

"Sakura told me that it was your chidori trying to stop the beast. But I saw something different. At that very moment, I felt like I was 12 or so. I saw a silhouette of a young man running towards me. But before he could come to me I felt a sharp pain in my back snapping me back to reality.

I panicked and increased my chakra to push it from me but every time I push it, it felt like my body was releasing an intense heat until all I see around me is a blinding radiant light. Then, I was drawn into darkness and that vision I saw earlier continued.

We were rushing through the shadows of the night. It seemed like we needed to do something that we should finish up in a very short time. Once again, the lights started to flash and the chirping of a thousand birds sounded."

Ruirein tried to keep up with her story trembling in fear as she recalled the visions. Tears welled down her eyes knowing that the next thing to happen is how it ends in a tragedy. Her knees weakened that she leaned on the tree and slowly slid down to a curl. Her hands curled above her knees while she rested her chin above them.

"This time around, despite seeing only a silhouette of him, I felt that I know him. He was someone close to me – no - someone I have learned to adore and loved all my life. I was willing to take a risk on whatever we were about to accomplish. Then, I saw thunder clouds forming in the sky. There was someone else – I'm not really sure – but whoever he was, he just summoned a lightning creature – the Lightning Phoenix.

Seeing the large mass of thunder clouds, I realized that he could die so I called out for him to stop. But he did not listen to my pleas. Soon, the clouds lighted up as thunder roared and a fierce form of lightning dashed down from the sky towards him."

Kakashi, hard and strong as steel, melted like snow as every word she says confirms the ghost of that tragedy. Slowly, he guiltily sat a couple feet to her right. His back against the tree, head bent low; left leg bent on the ground, and right leg bent up as his right arm rests on his knee. He continued to listen as his memory showed him exact clear visions of that tragic night.

"The Lightning Phoenix struck him, and he tried to fight it with all his strength not wanting to lose. He fought as hard as he can but in the end, he was defeated and consumed. I wanted to go to him and try to revive him but I could not. Some invisible forces were keeping me from going to him. He called out my name but I could not even make up what it was.

I-I wanted to go to him and tell him I love him, hoping that he would continue to fight for life knowing that someone waits for him. But I could not go near him. At that very moment, I regretted of not having to tell him how I felt. I was a coward. I wish I could have told him how much I loved him. I wish he could have known before he - -"

She suddenly stopped as she was once again enclosed into an all too familiar hold. She closed her eyes wishing it were all true and that she was not dreaming. She wrapped her arms around him, as his other hand gently pressed her head closer to him. She pressed her cheeks deeper into his chest; his scent telling her that she was not dreaming came to her like an assurance from heaven. Her heart beat faster and she could hear his beat with her. In a moment, he buried his face against her head and whispered gently from above her head.

"I-I'm so sorry…I know, now, A-Arashi."

'Arashi?' she said at the back of her mind.

"Argh!" she softly cried as a thin sharp pain pierced through her temples somewhat snapping her back to reality. She could see Kakashi standing a couple meters from her like he just finished up an attack and is ready for another.

'Huh?' she said in her thoughts realizing that he had already thrown three shurikkens to the person standing opposite them.

'Did I fell asleep?' she asked herself softly and paused to think as her memory played for awhile in her. Her eyes started to look for something and it landed on the man opposite them.

'Ah, I remember now.' She firmly said to herself, fixing her eyes to him. 'Yes, that was what I was supposed to do.'

"What a pleasant coincidence!" said the man before them. He slowly stepped out from the shadows and started moving toward Kakashi.

"This is just sooo surprising. I did not expect you to be here." He said to Kakashi. Then, with a sly grin, he shifted his eyes to Ruirein and then back to Kakashi. In a blink of an eye, he stood side by side with Kakashi and hissed sternly;

"Trying to take back what you could not protect eh, Hatake - Kakashi?" lowering his voice such that only Kakashi could hear. "You're a failure!"

"Saburo" Kakashi gritting his teeth replied with a slightly fierce voice as he acknowledged the other person.

Yet, before he could say another word, Saburo walked past him and stopped a couple feet from Ruirein.

"I believe you have completed your mission, my beloved niece?"

"Yes, uncle. I now have complete information about the Crown of Australis."

"Hmmn, I wonder though why I still had to remind you. Did you get so carried away telling this person about your past?" Saburo stepped

Kakashi's eyes widened, surprised with what he was hearing.

"Good, then Ryu – in the person of Captain Ruisu can stop spying and proceed with the next plan. In another note - - Hmmn, I wonder though why I still had to get in to your head and remind you. Did you get so carried away telling this person about your past?" Saburo stepped beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Ah, Arashi, Arashi…" he sighed and continued to speak. "You did not know yet, eh? – This man, standing before you is Hatake Kakashi – a highly ranked Leaf shinobi, possessing lightning element, and who with his sharingan eye has the capability to see through any deflected path of speed allowing him to conquer and summon the most dreaded lightning creature – the Lightning Phoenix!" From behind Arashi (Ruirein) – Saburo let an evil grin as Kakashi stood on guard, alarmed with what he just said.

"What just happened, 'ttebayo?" Naruto jerked in the middle of his reasoning with Sakura. Everyone was alarmed as they see a large explosion of lightning, 500 meters from where they have camped.

"Kakashi-taichou's Raikiri!" Sai said and quickly drew a large eagle for the three of them to hop on. "No! – It's something else! C'mon! Let's head on to that direction. He must be in a battle!"

END OF CHAPTER NINE


	11. Protecting the Crown of Australis

WEAVING DESTINY 10: Protecting the Crown of Australis

Enraged with what she just heard, Arashi charges toward Kakashi with a full intent to kill.

"Earth Element: Mudflow River! - - Now, Solar flares heat-up!"

A flood of mud rushed toward Kakashi burning like lava as Arashi infused chakra driven solar flares into it.

"Water Element: Flushing Waves!"

As the solar-flare-infused-mud-river rushed toward Kakashi, he takes off from where he stands and countered with a water technique. The solar flares cooled down as water waves flushed out the burning heat. To disperse of the mud Kakashi called in another jutsu.

"Water Element: Water Whirlpool!"

Mud and water whirled in between them but before it vanished to a splash, Saburo called out a special technique while Arashi applied Earth Style: Hide like a mole technique to go underground.

"Ice crystal spears!"

Saburo applied an ice crystal technique on Kakashi's water whirlpool. From the spinning whirlpool, water breached from the whirling motion and were transformed into spear heads made of concentrated ice crystals, all flying off to his direction. Kakashi hopped, waved, counteracted with his kunai as he dodges one ice crystal spear heads after the other.

After a few seconds, Saburo performed another hand seals which allowed him to gather the ice crystal spear heads together to form one big spear head.

"Spear drill!"

Saburo called out his jutsu and the smaller ice crystal spear heads whirled about each other creating a giant drill towards Kakashi standing about 10 meters away from him.

"I got you now!"

Arashi surprisingly emerged from under Kakashi charging with her sai. Sensing her approach from the underground, Kakashi quickly waved a meter away from her to avoid her sai targeted to his throat. He eventually rushed back to her realizing that Arashi now stands in between Saburo's spear drill and him.

'Damn it! – this man's careless!' He cursed as he dashed back toward Arashi.

"Out of the way!" Kakashi exclaimed and took her with one arm as the other charged a large amount of lightning to crush the ice crystal spear.

"Raikiri!" Lightning flares met up with the drilling spear causing a huge explosion sending trees, rocks, dusts, and pieces of ice into a blast.

"What just happened, 'ttebayo?" Naruto jerked in the middle of his reasoning with Sakura. Everyone was alarmed as they see a large explosion of lightning, 500 meters from where they have camped.

"Kakashi-taichou's Raikiri!" Sai said and quickly drew a large eagle for the three of them to hop on. "No! – It's something else! C'mon! Let's head on to that direction. He must be in a battle!"

'Hmn, looks like Saburo is engaged in that battle, too.' Ryu, in the person of Captain Riusu said to his self. 'I must proceed to plan B now.'

"Fire Element: Fire bullets!" Ryu shot fire bullets to Sai's bird turning it back to ink.

"Oh shiiiiit!" Sakura cried as the three of them fall off.

"Hold on Sakura-chan!" Naruto dived in to catch up with Sakura, bracing on to her, they fall spinning toward the ground.

"Puff!" Goes out Naruto's shadow clone that landed on his back to break Sakura's fall.

"Puff!" Goes out the other one, breaking Sai's fall.

"Ugh!" Naruto landed on his own back hard on the ground.

"You're not going anywhere!" Ryu bellowed and swiftly shifted to Skye's side.

"Skye-sama!" Naruto warned Skye but it was too late.

"Stand back, everyone!" Bracing his arms around Skye's neck, Ryu warned the rest of the troop who have started coming on to him to stop.

"Now, where is the key to the Crown of Australis?" He questioned Skye.

"Capt, what are you doing?" asked one of the troopers.

"Huh! One naïve dumb ass! – Kai (Release)!" Ryu released his jutsu and an exhausted dead body dropped off from him as he revealed his self. It was Capt Riusu – dead and all consumed.

"I knew there were something else you guys, wanted!" Skye gritted in anger through his teeth.

"I will never give you the key!"

'Damn it! Where is Ruirein? Is she with Kakashi-sama in that fight? I'm sure the key is safe with her. I just hope Kakashi-san will help her with it.' Skye said in his thoughts.

"Rasengan!"

"Ghack!" Thrown off about 10 meters away, Ryu gasped crashing with his back on a tree when Naruto strikes from behind him. Naruto had managed to stay out of his sight during their fall. He let another shadow clone fake out his landing making everyone think that he had no time to make a shadow clone to break his fall.

"I got you Skye-sama!" Sai dashed forward to keep Skye from being thrown off, too.

"Sha-naa-rooo!" Sakura plunged a straight punch into the earth sending out pillars of earth right into where Ryu crashed.

Seeing the pillars of hard earth coming off one after the other from Sakura's blow, Ryu hopped back to his feet and kicked off from the last pillar that was suppose to give him a blow.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Missile!" In mid-air, Ryu sent off a long stream of fire from his mouth to where everyone else is. The troop scampered out and ran for their lives while Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Skye took cover from behind a boulder.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed. "He's using fire and none of us is water! My wind jutsus will just make his stronger! Damn! Damn! Damn!"

"How should we take him down, then?" Skye asked and searched the three of them for answers.

"Look," He said impatiently against their blank looks, "we need to get to Ruirein. We have to let her know what these men are looking for. Ruirein has the key to the Crown of Australis!"

"What?" Sakura replied.

"In that case, Ruirein and Kakashi-taichou are in that battle..." Sai said.

"Just what is this Crown of Australis?" Naruto asked.

"The Crown of Australis - believed to have immersed from the stars, handed down to the land of Clovers by the gods, contains unknown powers that might even destroy the entire universe. One of the abilities that men pursue it for is its abilities to extract power from any powerful being, contain it in the crown and transfer it to anyone who puts it into his head. The key is kept in the land of Yellow Spring and can only be passed on to a being that possesses both an extraordinary ability and a pure heart. After my mother died, we never thought that one more mortal will pass the test and that is Ruirein."

"In that case", mimicking Sai, "we need to get out of here as quickly as we can and get to Ruirein and Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto stood up and jumped out of the hiding to face Ryu.

"Taju, Kagebunshin no Jutsu!"

A mass number of Naruto's shadow clone surrounded Ryu and attacked him at once. While Ryu was busy puffing out Naruto's shadow clone, Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Skye escaped and headed to where Kakashi and Ruirein are.

END OF CHAPTER 10


	12. Fate's Continuous Play Confusion!

Weaving Destiny 11: Fate's Continuous Play; Confusion!

"I got you now!"

Arashi surprisingly emerged from under Kakashi charging with her sai. Sensing her approach from the underground, Kakashi quickly waved a meter away from her to avoid her sai targeted to his throat. But he eventually rushed back to her seeing Saburo's drilling crystal spear heading right in to him and Arashi in front of it.

'Damn it! This guy's careless. Is he planning to kill his niece?' Kakashi said in his thoughts as he dashed back to Arashi.

"Out of the way!" he exclaimed in warning. With his left hand, he grabbed her by the waist and his right hand released a large amount of lightning to crush the ice crystal spear.

"Raikiri!" Lightning flares met up with the drilling spear causing a huge explosion sending trees, rocks, dusts, and pieces of crystal ice into a blast.

The collision between the two techniques sent both Arashi and Kakashi spinning in mid-air while Saburo was thrown off 20 meters away from them hitting his head and disturbing his concentration. Kakashi landed on his back breaking Arashi's fall and immediately shifted positions with her, his back against the explosion providing her cover.

"Huh?" Stunned with how fast things went on, Arashi went blank as the flashes of lightning once again brought her blurry visions of the past. This time, she sees herself in a similar situation where what seemed like a 13 year old jounin was also giving her and two other friends cover from an explosion of a lightning technique.

"Oi! Stay focused!" Kakashi gently shook her back to reality. "Are you okay?"

But Arashi stayed still and appears lost in an empty space as she continued to wonder about the visions flashing back at her. At the back of her mind, she sees herself weak, all worn out with not a single memory of her past. Then came in Saburo and introduced his self to be her uncle. He did something to her – like he was inside her mind, showing her what happened to her and how someone summoned the lightning phoenix and killed her friend – her friend who has been protecting her with all his life.

'He killed your friend with a strike from the lightning phoenix, my beloved niece.' She remembered him (Saburo) say.

"Listen, to me Arashi." Panting between his breaths, Kakashi looked intently into her eyes. "You have everything all mixed up here." He continued with a firm voice.

"Get off me!" Confused with her vision and her uncle's words, Arashi bellowed, her voice cracked in confusion and anger.

THUD!

"Ugh!"

Kakashi moaned in pain as Arashi plunged her knees to his groins. She then slid off from under him and jumped up to her feet.

"Having doubts killing me?" Kakashi said, knees on the ground, and head slightly held up to face Arashi.

"Y-you could've plunged in your sais instead, you know."

Astonished, Arashi's brows crossed realizing that his words were true. He was right, if she really wanted to kill him, she could've just thrust in her sais, infused solar energy and burn him. That was the perfect chance for her to kill him, but why did she felt like she could not?

"You don't know anything about me so don't brash out and think that I would not kill you because I would not hesitate to do so!"

She exclaimed striking Kakashi with a kick from her right foot, sending him off crashing with his back into a boulder five meters away from her. Debris and dusts blew off as Kakashi's crash created a crater into the boulder.

Arashi dashed off with him after kicking him, leaped up making a 360 degree turn and slashed a diving round house kick on his left jaw.

"Argh!" Groaning from the pain, he held on to his strength.

Arashi continued in rage and hit him with every strike that she knew –straight punch blows, elbow strike, back fist strikes, palm heal attacks, kicks – all these and more.

And yet, Kakashi did not fight back nor did he dodge any of them. Resting his back on a tree where he ended after Arashi's last blow, he was determined to bear them all knowing that the pain he bears with each of her strike could not equal with the pain he had caused her. He misjudged, miscalculated. His failure caused her to lose everything even almost losing her life. Yes, she died just as everyone thought and he was responsible for it. No one ever knew what happened that night except him, her and Saburo.

"Earth Style: Pillar Bullets!" Arashi called out a technique where pillars of hard earth went flying off toward Kakashi.

"Wind Style: Speed flush!" To increase the pillars' speed and create a bigger impact, Arashi infused this technique in combo with the previous earth technique and gave Kakashi five direct hits to his abdomen.

"Fight back you fool!" She screamed in frustration after seeing him not dodging any of his attacks.

"Fight back, I said!" She dashed on to him with her solar blade ready to hit his heart. Yet, seeing him all beaten up did not seem to ease out even a pinch of her pain.

'Why is he doing this?' She asked herself. 'And why do I feel like he does not deserve any of this?' Realizing that aside from not fighting back, Kakashi did not dodge any of her attacks, Arashi slowed down toward him getting more and more confused.

"W-why are doing this?" Arashi fell on her knees instead and withdrew from striking Kakashi. Her sword plunged in between his feet. She looked up to him; tears welled down her eyes while she tries to understand everything that's happening before her.

'Still a crybaby, huh – Arashi?' Kakashi gently said at the back of his mind, wishing he could take her into his arms the way Tsunade or The Fourth Hokage comforts her way back then.

"You're all confused, Arashi. The Lightning Phoenix was for you. The bloodline limit was too strong for you to handle. The Lightning Phoenix was summoned to help in sealing it down, not to kill anyone else." He said. And that seemed to have confused her more.

"LIAR!" She screamed, stood up and plunged her sword just a little above his left chest – avoiding a vital point.

"Ahck!" Kakashi knew she wouldn't hit him in a vital point so he did not bother to dodge. But the pain brought about by the solar heat from her sword does not seem easy to hande.

Confusingly staring at him, Arashi followed on to hit him with an elbow strike locking him by his throat as he started to fall off.

Before she could give him another strike, Kakashi grabbed and pulled her hard and close to him with one hand while the other grips the solar blade with her.

"You must stop listening to that voice inside you and listen to me!" With his face an inch apart from her, Kakashi firmly said. Their eyes meeting each other's, his – gentle, and hers – burning with anger and confusion.

"Kakashi-senseiii!" Naruto called out and stopped in shock with the others as they see Kakashi, pinned to a tree with Ruirein's solar blade pierced right above his left chest.

"Nii-san!" Naruto whispered to his self as he tried to figure out what was going on.

"What is happening here?" Sakura seconded while Sai and her stands behind Naruto.

Skye keeping up with them, halted and stood puzzled beside Sakura.

"Ugh!" Kakashi gritted his teeth in pain, his mask stained as he coughed out blood when Ruirein twisted the sword.

"Hold it right there!" Saburo said with a commanding voice approaching the group.

"No uncle, I will kill this man this very instant and get my revenge!" Ruirein exclaimed. Her voice cracked as tears continue to stream down her weary eyes.

"He just took away everything that I have had. I lost my family, my father murdered before my very eyes, I lost my clan, my village and just as I was getting a brand new life, this man took it all away in an instant."

"It was not meant to be like that." Kakashi wearily continued in a low voice, trying to give her a better understanding of that tragic night. "As calculated, the lightning phoenix's power was too much for me handle at that time. It drained out every last drop of my reserves."

He paused and looked into her eyes with pain hoping that he was able to get to her but, there seems to be no hope. With head bowed down he submitted his life to her.

"If you don't believe me then, kill me."

"You asked for it - I WILL NEVER BELIEVE IN YOU!"

Ruirein pulled out her solar blade to once and for all strike Kakashi to death.

CLANGGG!

The sound of two blades meeting each other rang through the air as Naruto's kunai met up Ruirein's blades just before it hits Kakashi.

"N-naruto - - " Kakashi whispered as he sees him standing in front of him, shielding him from Ruirein's strike.

"Nii-san –" Naruto glared back at her in anger but holding it within him as he was still not sure how things have gone this way. "Enough! I don't know what's going on here but one thing's for sure – I will not allow you to kill Kakashi-sensei."

"Save your strength for the last battle, Arashi!" Saburo scolded her.

"Huh?" Everyone cried in surprise.

"A-arashi ? – " Naruto's mouth fell opened in confusion as he heard the other man call her Arashi.

"Yes, Naruto!" Arashi slowly stepped back as tears of confusion, revenge, and anger welled down her fiery eyes.

"I have fully recovered my memory and I will not let this chance pass. This man took away everything I had and even tried to banish me from this world!"

"I will get my rev-!"

Before she could continue, Arashi frigidly stopped, stunned and motionless. Her eyes glowed as she started to act like a puppet.

"What the –" Naruto stammered for words as he tries to figure out what he's seeing.

"A puppet technique?" Sakura gasped in terror.

"No, I believe it's more than that." Sai said, perplexed.

"Damn it Saburo! What have you done to her!" roared Kakashi in anger.

"What did I do to her? Didn't she just tell you? You just killed the man she loves with your lightning phoenix." Saburo said and everyone else is as confused as Arashi is now.

"It brought her to an endless misery that all she lives for ever since that day I triumphed is tokill the man who killed you! – Hahahaha – Ahahahaha!" Saburo's evil laugh echoed through the air as he once again claims victory over this game of fate and destiny.

"Pitiful Kakashi. It seems that fate doesn't ever want to stop playing on you. Ahahahahaha!"

"You bastard!" Kakashi rushed toward him but stopped when Arashi called out a special technique.

"Solar wind blast" Arashi started and called on a followup technique, "solar flare combo!"

"Damn it! – wind and fire combo - - Naruto!"

Kakashi called out and immediately, Naruto understood what he meant.

"Fuuton, Rasengan!" Naruto whirled on his rasengan and stepped closer to Kakashi.

"Suiton, Hahonryuu (Water element, crashing rapids)!" Kakashi said simultaneously with Naruto.

"Gufuu Suika no Jutsu (Water Typhoon Vortex Technique)!"

Naruto and Kakashi combined wind and water to counter Arashi's wind and fire combo.

END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN


	13. Giving Up and Letting Go

**Weaving Destiny 12: Giving Up and Letting Go**

"Solar wind blast" Arashi started and called out a followup technique, "solar flare combo!"

"Pft! – wind and fire combo - - Naruto!"

"Gufuu Suika no Jutsu (Water Typhoon Vortex Technique)!"

Arashi charged with a Solar Wind Blast and Flare combo, a special jutsu based on fire and wind. To counter the attack Kakashi motioned Naruto to do Water Typhoon Vortex Technique - a combination of both wind and water.

"Raging sunlight - HAAAAAAAAAA!" Arashi screamed in pain casting out the third jutsu to consume Naruto and Kakashi's combo and charge toward them.

"Take cover!" Kakashi called out as the technique takes place.

The Raging Sunlight – first level of Arashi's true blood limit charges the air with solar radiation to create a ball of sunlight around an area that the user targets and creates a blast of fire after consuming the target.

Consuming Kakashi and Naruto's combo, the raging sunlight blasted at a radius of 10 meters. The pressure of the blast reached ten more meters that they have to focus their chakra to their feet for support.

"Nii-saaan!" Naruto exclaimed, worried about what is happening. From the way Arashi screamed with the last jutsu, he have a feeling that something's not right and that Arashi needs his help – their help.

"Stop, Naruto!"

Kakashi commanded him to a halt just as a woman and a man came out of nowhere. As the effects of the blast died out and smoke cleared off the area what appeared before them was Arashi, all drained down to the last of her reserves. She was pale white and fainted to unconsciousness.

The woman sped up to stop Arashi from falling while the other man performed a few hand seals.

"Root binding technique!"

Roots sprouted out from the earth, rushing towards Team Kakashi's location to drive them off.

"Ugh!" Kakashi fell off weakened from everything that has happened.

"Kakashi-taichou!" Sai immediately ran to assist him.

"Let's go, Naruto!" Sakura commanded. Kakashi is in a bad condition and Sakura knew they could not risk going on and chasing after the enemies.

"Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" Trying to at least send off one of his shadow clones through the wild roots, Naruto had no plans of giving up.

"No, we're not leaving Arashi with them!" He refused and continued to send off his shadow clones to replace those that were poof'ed out.

"Let her go, Naruto! – Earth Element: Earth Prison Wall!"

With the last of his strength, Kakashi created a prison wall to contain all four of them. In result, the roots bound the prison from the outside as the user of the technique left off to run with Saburo and the other woman who was carrying Arashi.

"Sha-na-rooo!"

After sensing that the enemies' chakra is running off from them, Sakura punched through the prison wall and blew off earth and roots to give them an opening. Naruto rushed outside to check. Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi started to walk in the direction back to the camp.

"Why did you let them escape Kakashi-sensei?"

Seeing that they were gone, Naruto rushed on in front of Kakashi and demanded an explanation.

Kakashi just ignored him and continued to walk on in grief. Sai followed him and walked past Naruto. Sakura gave Naruto a worried look and walked past him, too.

"So what now Kakashi-sensei? Are you giving up? After years of waiting and searching, you finally find her and you just give up? Is that it? So what happens with your teachings about friends, teamwork, and trash? Are you giving up now and turning yourself into a trash?"

After the rest had walked five meters away from him, Naruto called out accusingly to Kakashi.

In an instant Kakashi stood right up before him. His eyes burned in anger like they've never seen before. Kakashi was always calm and cold. If he ever scolds them, they've always known how to get away with it. But this time is just so different. Naruto could even feel the intensity of his anger.

"Stop acting like you know everything Naruto!" Kakashi roared.

"You think you can change the past? You can think you can bring back everything that I've taken away from her and just call it quits? I caused her pain more than you could imagine! So stop with your foolishness and just let her be!"

Tears welled down Naruto's eyes as he held on to his anger. Kakashi's anger reached through his inner self that he trembled in fear.

"B-but, but, BUT, do you think leaving her just like that will ease out her pain?"

With a slightly intense tone Naruto gathered up all his courage to speak and tried talking Kakashi into going after Arashi.

"She's all drowned and within your reach, are you letting go?"

"I'm not hearing any more of this, Naruto!"

Storm clouds gather and darken the sky as Kakashi showed the intensity of his anger towards Naruto's behavior. Lightning flashed in every direction in the sky and thunder roared like an angered beast.

"It's none of your business if I should give up and let go! Now, pick up yourself! We're heading back to the village! We have already escorted the Prince and his - argh! -", he grunted as he could not know what to address her now.

"Our mission is over!" Kakashi ended.

Sakura trembled with the intensity of their conversation. Before Naruto could say another word, she stood between the two of them facing Naruto.

"Hush now, Naruto," holding Naruto's hands, she said calmly and looked at him – concerned and worried. "Let's settle this later, okay?"

"I'm sorry for Naruto's behavior, Kakashi-sensei" She turned to Kakashi and gave him a worried look, too.

Kakashi wished he could disappear on his own and leave the group this very instant. But he just can't do that. These teens are under his supervision and are his responsibility. He turned his back against Sakura and Naruto and gestured that they continue to head back to the camp.

Skye could not say a word nor can he think of anything to do. What's more confusing was the thought that Ruirein who turns out to be Arashi passed the test as keeper of the key. Now, she seems to be in the wrong side of the river.

Naruto calmed down partly because Sakura asked him to and partly because he was shocked that for the first time, Sakura's hand did not hit his head but rather, they pressed and held his with warmth - soothing his anger and frustration.

As the sun started to come up, the group continued to walk back to the camp. Slowly, one step at a time, with shoulders dropped in stress and depression the silence between them caused eerie stillness in the air.

Kakashi walked ahead of them, Skye followed next, then Naruto with Sai and Sakura on each of his side. Naruto took out something from his bag and took a deep breath.

"I found these from where Rui—Arashi-Nisan tended to my wounds yesterday."

He said as he showed Sakura and Sai the damaged protector that he found by the tree yesterday. Sakura and Sai looked at him confused.

"I did not think that she was the one who dropped this."

"What's with that head protector, Naruto?" Sakura asked in a solemn tone. "And what do you know about Kakashi-sensei and Miss Ruirein?"

"Ah, back in the rendezvous point, I found Kakashi-sensei in the center of the village. Remember his story about the village?" Naruto reminded them.

"Ah" Sai nodded in reply.

"There was a column in the center of what looked like the village's square and I just saw Kakashi-sensei fasten to it a head protector similarly damaged as this. Though that one was badly damaged more than this one. When he sensed my presence, he called me and he continued to tell me about that 8-year old girl who was believed to have been the only survivor of the village. She was Arashi, or Ruirein-Niisan as we know her."

"Huh?" Sakura and Sai replied in shock and so did Skye who was just close enough to hear them.

"You can join us, Skye-sama." Naruto invited Skye and he walked more closely with them to join in.

And so the story continues…

After being brought to the village, Arashi grew up in Konoha and finally decided to fight for her own existence. She trained in the academy and topped everyone else. Despite her strong will and determination, deep inside, she still is vulnerable and fragile to the harsh world of shinobi. This caused her to once again release the power that destroyed her village.

Luckily, one of the jounins was able to stop the incident and saved Konoha. Sandaime and Yondaime decided to seal her powers and she was willing to do so, too. She knew deep inside that she could not handle it, too. The only way to seal her powers is by using the seal of the lightning phoenix. But the lightning phoenix challenges anyone who wishes to make contract with him. It would be a challenge of speed and endurance. This requires a lightning elemental shinobi who can see through the deflections caused by its speed and would have the right amount of chakra to endure its powers.

The challenger would need to see through the lightning phoenix's path, stop it with the right timing and contain it inside him. The lightning phoenix would consume a particularly large amount of the challenger's chakra to complete the contract. If his chakra is not enough, the lightning phoenix would then take the challenger's life and frees itself from being contracted for summoning.

There was only one in Konoha who can do this but he was still very young. With his acquired ability, he would be able to see the lightning phoenix's path but he may not be able to bear its power. But he was willing to risk anything to protect Konoha and Arashi. So, he and Arashi trained hard for the sealing and went together in missions at the same time. He was put in charge of her since he was the only one who could stop Arashi's power should she go wild again.

Their last mission together caused Arashi's head protector to be damaged so he exchanged his with hers. They went on a mission together with a new gennin who introduced himself to be Arashi's cousin. The mission turned out to be a plot by Saburo who was after Arashi's powers.

Saburo has the ability to control another's abilities with his mind-memory submission technique. He intends to take Arashi and use her as a weapon to regain their clan and their village. Saburo was the traitor who gave out the information about the village in his desire to rule over the village instead.

Fortunately, Kakashi was able to figure out the plot so they tried to escape. However, as he calculated theirs and Saburo's speed, Saburo would be able to catch up with them before they could reach Konoha. If Saburo gets a hold of Arashi, everyone would be in grave danger. So, as they escaped from the dangerous plans of Saburo, they decided to seal off her powers at that very night. But their plan failed and he lost her. There was no trace of her so everyone believed that light consumed and dissolved her.

"The only jounin who have that ability back then was Kakashi-taichou." Sai concluded at the end of Naruto's story. "He was the jounin who failed to protect her and perform the seal, then?"

"Ah, that's right." Naruto confirmed. "But he continued to believe that she was alive and would one day return to the village. Every day, he waits for her by his window during sunrise and continued to hope to find her wherever he goes."

"Then, he must be very affected with everything that is happening now." Sakura said with a somber voice.

"Right," Naruto sighed. "I should have thought twice before I acted on him that way. We all know that like us, Kakashi-sensei values his friends and team mates a lot, too."

Finally arriving back in the camp, Skye continued to ponder about Naruto's story. Once again, he believed that Ruirein (Arashi) is indeed the rightful protector of the key to the crown of Australis.

But Kakashi just declared a while ago that they will be returning to Konoha. Surely he can't just leave her behind. If she is just under some mind-memory submission technique then, he must find a way to free from her. He would need this team's assistance. He must convince Kakashi to help him get Ruirein back.

It was a long and tiring night for everybody, and for Kakashi, it was more. Kneeling over a nearby stream, his back against the camp (and the readers, too :D). He took off his mask and splashed water into his face, a thing that he never does with people around him – even if he was a hundred meters away from them.

He ran his palms down hard on his face as he tries to conceal the tears falling down his eyes. Strange that this time, it was his right eye who gave in first and then the left. Obito have been a crybaby that even the eye he left him would cry for him. This time though was different. It was like he cried first and Obito cried with him.

Sensing that a group is approaching him, he dried his face and put on his mask again.

"I-I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said in a remorse tone. "I-I'm sorry with everything that I've said back there. I should have known better –"

"It's okay Naruto." Kakashi glanced sideways and took a deep breath. "I overreacted, too."

He stood up and grabbed Naruto by the neck and held him close to him.

"It seems that I've taught you well about friends, team, and teamwork." He smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'm proud of you, Naruto!"

"Ehehehe" Naruto said scratching the back of his head after Kakashi let go of him.

"I'm so proud of you guys." Kakashi said addressing Sakura and Sai, too.

"Teamwork, ha. Hmmm…" Sai mumbles as he browsed for an answer in his book.

Everyone laughed as they watch Sai's ever curios, expressionless pale face search through his book for something that will teach him about just anything about bonds, friendship, women, men, and feelings.

END OF CHAPTER TWELVE


	14. The Enemies' Jutsus Revealed

**Weaving Destiny 13: The Enemies' Jutsus Revealed**

"Oh, Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto cut through after the group has gone back to normal.

"I have something that I think must have belonged to you." He showed Kakashi the head protector and gave him a big smile.

Kakashi took the head protector slowly and smiled (of course a smile can still form out from behind the mask, right? :D). He took a deep breath and said;

"Ah, you're right, Naruto. This was mine. I gave it to her when hers was completely damaged during that last mission."

"Ehm," Sakura cleared her throat."Naruto told us about her, Kakashi-sensei. We'll help you in every way we can."

Kakashi looked at them – Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and even Skye – they all seem to be determined to get her back.

"Well, I think you all have to know every detail first." He said as he started to tell them what happened 17 or 18 years ago.

The Seal Of The Lightning Phoenix

"C'mon, Arashi we need to get back to the village and fast!" Kakashi, 16 commanded the 14 year old Arashi who was just about to get a rest.

"But, Yuki just relieved me of my post." She complained softly. Not that she had always been a good genin to him from the start; he was the person she hated most so she made herself a real pain in his head - until he rescued her from one of her power outbursts. Since then, she stopped hating him, ceased teasing him with his hairstyle by calling him porcupine head and gave him the respect he truly deserves.

"I'll explain everything on our way back." Kakashi sighed after realizing that Arashi seemed really exhausted at the moment. For the past three weeks, all they did was train and she gave all her best even if it meant draining her almost after every session. As a result, she was able to master the Vanishing Light Limit. And when she did, she even played prank on him with it.

He paused for awhile and grinned as he remembered that morning of their departure. He was still in a deep sleep when he suddenly felt like his room was getting warmer. He turned to face the window to catch some air but then…

"Ugh! It's noon already!" He immediately jumped out of the bed seeing that the sun is already at its height. His new team is going off to a mission today. He intends to meet them late though, but not this late. He scurried out of the bed and to his closet to dress up when he heard a familiar giggle.

"Hihihihi…" Arashi materialized, and the high noon sun suddenly disappeared revealing an early morning light where the sun is just rising from the east.

"I finally tricked you, didn't I, Kakashi-sempai?" Arashi proudly giggled and laughed.

"Vanishing Light Limit, ha! Why you little imp!"

"Pbbbt! That's for always coming late!" She continued to laugh and rejoiced. Arashi loves playing pranks to those close to her. She was really good at it except for Kakashi. She had never trick him into anything until now.

"Now, I'll wait for you outside to make sure that you don't go back to sleep again and make us wait for three hours." She said with arms crossed.

"And oh, don't forget to put on your pants!" She giggled one last time and jumped out of the window.

That was 3 days ago. Yondaime never intends to send them to this mission knowing how exhausted Arashi have been with the training but the client even had a letter from the Fire Lord to grant him what he requested. And that is having Arashi on it. Good thing the client agreed to have Kakashi in after knowing how dangerous it is at this point for Arashi to be sent out into missions.

But Kakashi had a bad feeling about the mission and so he kept his guard at all times. And now, just a little while ago, he was able to confirm his suspicions. He never thought that Yuki would be the traitor though. He was Arashi's cousin and they have been really close – at least that's what they all knew. He noticed that Yuki's patrol was way off so he tailed on him.

"We have a jounin with us Saburo-sama. His name is Hatake Kakashi and he's really a powerful one." He heard Yuki talking to a man he does not know. "He could get through the Hell's Wrath Sunglight and stop it with his lightning technique."

With that, he realized that someone have been after Arashi's abilities. So he rushed back to where Arashi is. He's bringing her back to the village.

"Where's Yuki?" Arashi asked noticing that Kakashi is really in a hurry, he was helping her pack up instead of look for Yuki.

"Let's go!"

Kakashi grabbed her almost carrying her to make sure that she could keep up with him.

"I found Yuki talking to someone, Arashi. This whole mission is a plot for him to get a hold of your powers."

"Huh?"

Arashi was surprised with his words. It was just unbelievable. But he trusted Kakashi with all her heart soul. After those countless times that Kakashi have saved her, she knew that he will do anything to protect her.

"I know you are exhausted, Arashi." He said with a concerned tone as they came to a short pause. "But we have to hurry or they'll catch up with us…I- - I don't want to lose you."

He looked straight into her eyes to show her how sincere he is with his words. Then, he nudged in signal for them move on.

ZING! ZING!

All of a sudden, shurikens went flying from behind them.

TSUG! TSUG!

Went the sloshing sounds of shurikkens hitting tree branches as they tried to avoid them. They both looked back to where the shurikkens were coming from and discovered that Yuki have caught up with them.

"There's no escaping, Kakashi! You can't protect Arashi from here!" Yuki exclaimed continuing the chase.

The three teens ran through the darkness of the night as one chases the two.

ZING! ZING!

"Ugh!"

"Kakashi!"

"Got you!" Yuki excitedly called out hitting Kakashi with 3 shurikkens.

"Not so fast, Yuki!"

"Huh?...a replacement technique, then?"

Yuki, on one of the trees' branches tried to speak back as Kakashi pins his face into the tree.

"Ha!...ahahahaha!" Yuki's voice suddenly changed from being a boy into a man.

"Kakashi, step back! That is not Yuki!" Arashi cried. "And don't look at him in the eye!"

"Huh?" Kakashi did as Arashi said and jumps beside her. "You know this guy?"

"Yes, he is Ryu and he is one of those who betrayed my village. Look!" Arashi pointed as the Yuki's body fell off from Ryu all drained and half-dead. "Ryu is a soul caster. He can make an exact replica of another person's body by taking their soul into his. The technique takes place when you charge an attack to him with a look in his eyes. He uses the momentum you exert in your attack and vacuums your soul to him. A normal person will die once he releases the technique. For ninjas, the least is 3 days, depending on how large their chakra reserves are."

"Very well, Arashi." Ryu said with an evil. His right hand holds Yuki by his collar. "Very smart of you to have remembered my clan's technique after being shown at a very young age."

"You bastard! You used your technique on my mother and killed her! Ahhhh!"

"Wait!" Kakashi called and ran behind Arashi as she charged toward Ryu.

"Flaring shurikken dance!"

Five shurikkens flaring like the sun swiftly danced their way toward Ryu.

"Oooh...want your cousin, Arashi?"

"No!" Kakashi immediately sped up and threw five kunais to redirect Arashi's flaring shurikkens and prevent them from hitting Yuki.

"Dimwitt! Fight like a man!" Arashi continued to dash forward passing through Kakashi who caught Yuki just before he hits the ground.

"Tch! Still charging according to her anger. Ah, she's hopeless!" Kakashi grumbled.

"Thank you, Kakashi." Yuki said weakly. "I'm sorry…I-I tried to argue with my uncle to stop this nonsense but instead, he used his soul caster technique on me to lure you into them 2 days ago. They sent me to the Konaha Academy as Arashi's cousin and befriend her. My mission was to lure her back to her traitor uncle, Saburo of the Hoishi Clan. He has the ability to control someone else's abilities with his Mind and Memory Submission Technique. But Arashi have been a very good friend to me. She was just like my little sister who died in the war; troublesome but sweet and gentle. So as time passed by, I wanted to be a big brother to her. To protect her like you always do. If I will never make it through tonight, Kakashi, please promise me – protect her with all your life not…"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded and stopped Yuri. "Don't worry Yuki. Even if you don't say so, I have been protecting her and will continue to protect her not because I am in charge of her but because she is important to me." Kakashi assured Yuki.

"Thank you, Kakashi."

"Mm." Kakashi nodded. "Now hold on and stay here while I help that iron head girl over there."

"Shadow clone technique!" Ryu jumps off the tree and Arashi made 3 shadow clones as she stopped dashing toward him 10 meters from him. Two were visible as she created the other underground.

"Now, go! Water bullet technique!" Arashi released a water technique while her clones left, right, and below went with it.

"Earth wall technique!" Countered Ryu but to his surprise, from the wall emerged Arashi's clone who was travelling underground and calculated which part of the earth would Ryu raise to block the water bullet.

"Explode!" Went all three clones as each of then threw in 2 kunais with paper bombs toward Ryu.

"Wind tornado defense!" Immediately, a gust of wind went whirling about Ryu sending the Kunais to explode somewhere else.

"Fire Dragon Flame Technique" As soon as he got a clear view of Arashi's location, Ryu fired a fire dragon technique at her.

Seeing the situation, Kakashi rushed with a water technique to dissolve the fire before it reaches Arashi.

"Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Ha! That won't keep me from getting to you! - - Root binding technique!" Shortly after Ryu said so, roots sprouted from where Kakashi and Arashi are. Each of them had one root curling from their feet and up to their waits thus, keeping them from running.

"Damn!" Kakashi said. "I didn't see that coming!" The roots wildly swayed both Arashi and Kakashi and they just could not break free from it.

"Ahhhhh!" Ryu screamed in rage as he sees Ryu maneuver the roots to raise Kakashi and Arashi higher.

"Fire blades technique!" Determined to keep his word and stand up as Arashi's big brother, Yuki exerted all that's left in him to free Kakashi and Arashi from the roots that bind them, before they get slammed to the ground; he created two blade looking fires to burn and cut the roots that gripped Kakashi and Arashi. They immediately gained momentum and landed unhurt beside Yuki.

"Ugh!" Yuki groaned weakened from what he did.

"Yuki!" Arashi immediately assisted him before he totally falls on the ground. "You should not move now. I'll try to revive you, okay?"

"I-it's okay, little sister…" He replied with how he fondly calls her. Resting on Arashi's arms, he tried to give her an assurance smile. But still, tears started creeping down her eyes as usual. "You are such a cry baby. I'll be all right. I'm sorry I've got you in to this. I –"

"Oh, please don't talk anymore…" Arashi replied with a broken voice. Then she gently lays him on the ground and applied a healing palm technique she learned from Tsunade.

"Ho-ho-ho…" Came the sound of a man coming forth beside Ryu.

"U-uncle Saburo…" Arashi whisphered as she continued to revive Yuki. Kakashi was standing in front with his back on them for cover.

"You know him, Arashi?" Kakashi said with a side glance.

"Ah, he is the one with the mind and memory technique and he knows ice crystal jutsus."

"Eyy? – you seem to have a good memory being showed all our abilities at a very young age. Hmn, you were just 4 years old at that time." Saburo replied mockingly.

"Tch!" Arashi held back. She needs to concentrate on reviving Yuki at least to a running state. That's all she can do for now as she is running low in chakra, too.

"Sorry guys, I'm late." A woman jumped in from behind Ryu and Saburo.

"Shin – " Yuki said.

"A-ha" The woman, replied and as she said that, the surrounding suddenly went foggy. Freezing cold mists started to build up around them.

"You should be okay now." Arashi said to Yuki.

"Thank you."

"Stay close to each other." Kakashi said, instruction them to stick together. Yuki and Arashi got up and stood back to back with Kakashi.

"Hmmn, this is strange – sharingan!" Kakashi activated his Sharingan and immediately realizes that they are held in a genjutsu. "This is genjutsu! Try to break free from it!"

Shin, a rogue ninja specializes genjutsu. She is capable of casting a group in genjutsu making a 3-man cell team think that they are just in the same battlefield.

"Release!" The three of them broke free from the genjutsu but as the freezing fog went off, before them are random walls of ice reflecting their every move.

"What the - ?" They chorused in surprise.

"Ice prison maze" Arashi said. "I've never seen how this works but my dad said there is no escape from this maze."

"Huh?" Yuki and Kakashi gasp.

"Mm, there is always a weakness for every jutsu. Let's go and find out." Kakashi encouraged the group.

And so they started walking. Kakashi had his sharingan activated and used it to analyze every data that is available. They are standing in a hall of two ice mirror walls – left and right. The one on their end closes with another ice mirror wall and up ahead is another ice mirror wall casting an endless reflection of their selves. It also closes perpendicularly with the ice mirror wall to their right. The wall on the left is open and all walls are infused with chakra.

"Beyond that wall on our left is another hall of ice mirror walls and to the left is an exit after the wall extends five meters." Kakashi said as he sees a discontinued wall of chakra.

"Huh? That easy?" Arashi said in surprise thinking that her dad just told her that no one has ever come out of the ice prison maze alive.

"Well, I believe there's going to be more to that than what I am seeing." Kakashi furthered. "Let's keep walking and don't let your guard down."

"Hmn, stop." He said after making the firs left turns. "There is a trick here. For some reason, the exit that I calculated awhile ago extended to another enclosure making the exit available on the next turn again."

"Ungh!"

"Yuki!" Arashi gasped as Yuki started to weaken again. She assisted her to stand.

"What the…" To Kakashi's surprise, he sees chakra rushing off from Yuki and Arashi. When he looked at himself, chakra are smoking out of him, too.

"The two ice mirrors behind and in front of us are sucking our chakras." Kakashi said. "So that's how it works. This maze is built up as you continue to go through it. It extends as far as your chakra can take you. The moment our reflections are reflected from this mirror behind us, it channels our chakra to the one in front of us thus extending the exit to another turn. If we continue to each end of the walls and get our selves reflected on each end, the walls will continue until we are drained out of chakra and die."

"This maze is a chase to the exit!" Kakashi concluded.

"What do we do then? We'll never get to the other side without being reflected…" Arashi stopped as she realized something. "You mean…"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "We have to be invisible. But you're really running low in chakra, Arashi."

"No, I can still manage. Arashi grabbed Kakashi and Yuki close to her. "Vanishing Light Limit!" With that, they vanished before reaching the next turn. Stepping through the next hall, the ice mirror wall in front of them stopped extending as Kakashi calculated. Turning left once again, they were finally able to reach the exit.

"Kakashi, lets continue to run off with the Vanishing Light Limit." Arashi suggested. Saburo and his group is still within the vicinity.

"B-but –"

"We have no other choice, Kakashi. Yuki needs immediate assistance. We have to bring him back to Konoha right away."

"Okay."

And so in the darkness of the night, three teens run off within its shadows fleeing from a threat that endangers not only their lives but the world's, too.


	15. Kakashi Battles The Lightning Phoenix

**Weaving Destiny 14: Kakashi Battles The Lightning Phoenix**

A recall to Ruirein/Arashi's dream in Chapter 6

Dark clouds surround the midnight sky, while the forest casts shadows of danger to three teens running for their lives. They headed to an open space, and after awhile, she found herself all alone in the middle of a grassy plain, unsafe but willing to put her life in despair. She could sense urgency of their task as her two companions scurried to a fast paced motion while she waits helplessly in the center.

The sky suddenly glared with anger while thunder roared and lightning, the earth slandered. Then, all of a sudden, in the midst of the rampaging turmoil before them, she heard chirping birds! One, two, three, no – seems like a thousand! She opened her eyes and before her was a silhouette of a young man dashing towards her while flares and flashes of light surround him.

'_Should I die today,' _she said, _'my heart with you, will always stay.' _

Tears started to fall from her left eye, if she departs from the world tonight; he'll never ever know how he gives her heart light.

"NOOOOO!" Trembling with fear, she screamed as dark clouds spark up with lightning beams. Crashing angrily down from the sky, he must stop from coming to her or he'll die.

"#$%!" She cried out for him to stop, his name, her mind could not make up. But he did not cease with her pleas, lighting struck him with tremendous current he could have freeze. He tried to fight the nature's strike, but he ended up losing his might. Unseen forces held her down, helplessly she watched him fall facedown.

"NO! NO! A-H-H-H-H-H-H-H!" Tears continued to fall from her weary eyes. She screamed in rage that her heart burned with anger. Rage engulfed her that she could feel an intense heat breaking free from her.

"A-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H!" She continued to scream. Fear, hatred, rage, and pain unrelentingly consumed her in vain.

(Recalling chapter 6, what happened after this was Sakura had to call Kakashi for help as Ruiren/Arashi glowed in an intense radiance again as her powers begin to unleash.)

It was the 14th of April, 16 years. Three young shinobis just escaped from three deadly matured rogue ninjas. In flight for survival, they ran to fight and protect each other's lives as comrades and protectors of Konoha and the world.

"Arashi," Kakashi whispered so as not to be heard. "You shouldn't be using this technique now. You know how much chakra it would cost you by converting your stored solar energy into solar radiation to use it on you and now, you've got me and Yuki covered, too!"

Arashi did not say a word as they continued to jump from one tree to the other to try and escape.

"Release the technique now, Arashi. We should be safe now." Kakashi commanded with a concerned tone.

"Ungh.." Releasing the technique, Arashi started falling off weak and a little drained.

"Tch!" Kakashi swiftly launched forward and caught her up in mid-air just a couple feet before she hits the ground.

"Thank you, Kakashi. I'm okay. I just felt a little rush in my head when I released the technique."

"Huh?" Kakashi paused in wonder. "Your head protector – it's damaged."

Arashi took off her head protector and saw that the metal had traces of melted lines.

'_I'm almost to my limit then.' _Arashi said in her thoughts. _'Any more pushing would lead me to releasing the hell's wrath again. There is only one thing to do here. I must let Kakashi seal down my powers now.'_

"Here, use mine instead." Kakashi took off his and gave it to Arashi.

"B-but –"

"We need it for the sealing. I'll use yours, it will still do. Now, it looks to me like we won't make it to the village in time." Kakashi continued. "Yuki, head for the village and take Arashi with you while I wait for them here and hold them down."

"Okay." Yuki agreed.

"No! You know you can't take them all down by yourself. Even if you face them, one might just leave the battle and go after us." Arashi firmly disagreed. "Seal down my powers now. We could perform the sealing there." Arashi pointed into an open space. Big enough to meet the required space needed for the sealing.

"What?" Kakashi retorted.

"Well? How much time do we have to run and go back to the village? Do we even have enough to be able to get there?" Arashi argued.

"Pft! You're being hard headed again, aren't you?"

"Answer my question!"

"Haaii…" Kakashi sighed in surrender. "Okay, in your condition now, they would be able to catch up with us even before we go beyond half-way back to Konoha. That's why I'm going to face them and you Yuki go on ahead!" Kakashi scolded her with the last statement.

"Like I would do that?"

Arashi took out something from her bag and pressing it against Kakashi's chest, she stared sharply at him as she stands a feet close to him.

Suddenly dark clouds appeared like a storm is coming.

"Shin." Yuki said in horror."Shin is manipulating a storm. They must have already discovered our escape from the Ice Prison Maze."

"Now, take the scroll and start the sealing." She said fiercely in low voice and then calmed down.

"Come on, Kakashi. This is the only option we have right now." Arashi semi-pleaded.

"No." Kakashi stared sharply back at her. "We haven't mastered the sealing technique yet. And I have yet to make a contract with the Lightning Phoenix before doing the seal. What if I failed to make the contract? I may not have all the energy left to protect you from that man.!"

"I am willing to risk my life for the village and the world. Perform the binding seal first. If you failed, the world would still be safe."

"Ugh!" Kakashi groaned in pain as Arashi knocked his b**ls with her knees before running swiftly into the open space. "Arrgh! Arashi, NO!"

Just as Kakashi was able to overcome the pain and catch up with her, Arashi was done performing the binding seals. The first level of the seal is also ready for activation in case Kakashi fails to make contract with the Lightning Phoenix and perform the final seal.

"G*d d*mn it, Arashi! You are as hard headed as ever!" He exclaimed. "Did you just realize what you've done?"

"I know Kakashi. If you failed to perform the final seal, neither Yondaime or Sandaime are here to stop it so, I will vanish with the light as the binding seal consume my chakra reserves. But I have faith in you. I believe in you - porcupine head." She ended with a positive tone.

"Ah, I guess I have no choice then. Yuki, can you still make it to the village?" Kakashi asked Yuki who have managed to catch up with them in the center of the open field. "You have to go there and inform them about everything that has happened here."

"I understand, Kakashi." With one last look at Arashi and Kakashi, Yuki left and headed to the village for reinforcement. "I'm really sorry guys." He said in regret.

"Okay, let's do this then." Kakashi took out a contracting scroll and ran off 50 meters away from Arashi.

[Now, I am stuck with narrating the details as usual here. I also find that this part needs a dramatic description - dramatic like grand, not crying and all -This is when Kakashi faces the proud lightning phoenix who does not want to be contracted for summoning. I've made a semi-monologue of the scene before I did chapter 12 and 13 and thought that I would bother into making the details later. But I guess, I still can't. So here goes the drama. It happens after Kakashi took out the contracting scroll.]

**Kakashi, The Lightning Phoenix's Sire**

Like a ravaging beast, the Lightning Phoenix charged; straight on to Kakashi, no holds barred.

Determined to win, young Kakashi activates - his sharingan eye sharply waits.

He kept his focus and theorized. The phoenix's moves; he must analyze.

He must keep his guard, be quick to disprove. Or else he fails and the world be doomed.

Seeing through and beyond the Phoenix's speed, Kakashi dashed forth and strikes to succeed.

"CHIDORI!" he roared with all his might; flashes of light shook the darkness of the night.

With the sound of a thousand chirping birds in the air,

He clashed with the Lightning Phoenix, devil not dare.

While lightning flares collide, Kakashi grinned and valiantly stride.

He grabbed the Phoenix with both his hands; signing the contract, he firmly stands.

Defeated with the quest for speed, the Phoenix rushed inside him in greed.

"Ugh!" Kakashi moaned in pain as the creature headed for his chakra main.

"Pft! Kakashi, ha!" the proud gallant Phoenix shrugged.

"Let's see if you can bear, the challenge for endurance; your worst nightmare!"

"Arrgh!" Kakashi growled in agony, he is being consumed mercilessly.

With the Phoenix's wrath through his veins, he vowed not to lose and leave his friend in vain.

In a fraction of second, something left him – was it his life? He screamed for her name.

"H-hold on Arashi…" he spoke hardly – his vision, weak and blurry.

The young Kakashi fell to the ground, all drained and totally drowned.

She called out his name in vain, frustrated she started to enflame.

He must stop her or else, the binding seals will! Set lest he fails.

Tears welled down his eyes; he failed to seal her powers.

Now she's gone on loose again and he can't even unseal a chain!

As Arashi's barrier light filled the night, darkness dimmed Kakashi's sight.

"Brave and valiant you sure are, defeating me at such a young age this very hour.

Never in a thousand years have I, been contracted; as they all die.

Now, Kakashi you are – the reigning Lightning Phoenix's sire!"

Striding back to the skies, proclaiming defeat he outcries.

"Ah! Silver haired shinobi you will be, regaining your strength in two weeks or three.

Then shall you rise up and reign, cutting through anything, in any plain.

For I – Raiton Otari, conquered and defeated, hands you down the striking Raikiri!"

Completely impressed by Kakashi's intrepid, the Lightning Phoenix solemnly swears his creed.

[Note: Darkness dimmed Kakashi's sight – Kakashi fainted at this part and so he failed to know that he have defeated the Lightning Phoenix. In a later part of this fiction, (I don't have plans of including it anymore) is Kakashi's famous battle against the lightning where he unknowingly learned how to use the Raikiri that the lightning Phoenix gave him. His test for endurance against the lightning phoenix also explains why he have low chakra reserves. :D Of course – this is but my fiction and this scenario has been inspired by those facts: Kakashi's low chakra reserves, and his being able to cut through lightning. :D - - Now back to the story. ;))

Arashi started to glow intensely as the Hell's Wrath Sunlight is about to be unleashed. The binding seals activated and started to consume her to death. That was the last time Kakashi saw of her.

Two weeks after, Kakashi woke up in the hospital. Yondaime did all he can but he was not able to transport through the special kunai he gave to Arashi. When he reached Kakashi, the only trace they found was Yondaime's special kunai, part of it melted destroying the seal.

"She must have took it out hoping I would come to her rescue." Minato said to Kakashi as he stands by Kakashi's bed. "I'm sorry Kakashi, we were too late."

Kakashi close his eyes in silence. He could not believe his fate. He was ever willing to protect his friends and yet he always fails.

"Am I destined to lose everyone close to me?" Kakashi said to his self as he stands by his window two days after he was discharged. "If so, then, I will forever grieve for my loss every day of my life."

Since then, Kakashi wakes up before the sun rises. For whatever reason, he still believes that Arashi is not dead, and that she would one day come and trick him for the second time with her vanishing light limit. Thus he waits for her every day before the sun rises to prove to her that tricks don't work on him twice.

After the sun rises to the fullest, with no Arashi coming to trick him, he would then go and commemorate the memories of Rin and Obito. As Obito was always a late comer, he took that into his self and now he has more reasons to be late.

"So that was how I failed." Kakashi ended his story. "If I have only defeated the lightning phoenix that night, I would have saved her and we have not been in this situation now."

"You did not fail, Kakashi-taichou." Sai said with assurance. "You would have not been here if you did."

"What do you mean, Sai?" Naruto asked.

"The lightning phoenix is a proud creature." Sai continued. "After some time, he despised being summoned thus he became wild and making contract with him was impossible. He only desires to be summoned by someone who could match his speed and strength. And so he tests anyone who desires to make contract with him. First is the test of speed. If you catch him then you can sign the contract. And then endurance, as you hold him in your hands, his electrical charges will flow through your chakra paths engulfing all your chakra until he is satisfied. If you have enough chakra to survive this test, you live and he would willingly be your faithful summoning creature as long as you live. If not, he will leave you drained and dead freeing him of the contract once again."

"Then you did not fail at all, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto excitedly exclaimed. "Yosh! Just as expected from the best of the best shinobi in Konoha!"

"So, then we can continue with sealing her powers, ha, Sensei?" Sakura asked.

"It's not that easy." Kakashi replied, while thinking." The first level of the seal of the lightning phoenix must be performed while she is conscious. She does not have the right memory now. She remembers me as a murderer."

"I don't think she totally forgot you." Skype finally spoke up after thinking about everything that happens. "In your story, she calls you porcupine head, right?"

"Ah, she does that every time she thanks me whenever I save her from her power outbursts."

"Then, she just called you that after you rescued her from that scorpion beast, didn't she?" Skye said in reference to what happened in the rendezvous point. "And that day, when she woke up after days of being unconscious, she was about to call you that again."

"And I am certain she will remember you Kakashi-sensei. Now I understand what she meant about searching with her heart." Naruto mumbled.

"Naruto?" Sakura sighed.

"Right, Sakura-chan. Nii-san told us yesterday that what kept her going despite her loss of memory is her heart that continued to search for that someone who has been there to protect her all the time. And that is you, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto gleamed as he has finally understood what Ruirein/Arashi told them when she healed him from the arrow that struck him when they met up with the Yellow country's troop and continued.

"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"The truth, Sensei." Naruto answered right away. "I believe her heart does not only remember you as her protector but the man she loved and adored. You were that young man that she loved - but you killed as Saburo said - and I know that her heart has not stopped searching for you. Arashi believes that despite her loss of memory, she would be able to find you by heart because what the mind forgets, the heart remembers. When she was just gaining consciousness after you saved her, it was her heart that spoke out and not the memory implanted in her."

"Are you suggesting, Naruto that we knock her down first?" Sakura gritted through her words seeing Naruto's grin. "Argh! That is just one dumb suggestion."

"I don't think we need that. The seal of the lightning phoenix…" Sai as if he remembered something. "Kakashi-taichou, the first level of the seal has been applied on her already. I saw it. Naruto, Sakura, you saw it, too. In her forehead, remember?

"You mean the mark on her forehead where I had to use the healing palm technique to see it?" Sakura affirmed with a question.

Sai nodded.

"Are you sure, Sai?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, Kakashi-taichou. I am sure of it." Sai took out a scroll and a pen. "It looked like this, right?"

"Ah, that's it." Kakashi affirmed. "That's the completed seal of the lightning phoenix."

"And this is what Arashi showed us. The incomplete seal at its first level." Sai erased a few lines and curves and showed the new drawing to the group."

"Then, all we need to do now is apply the second level of the seal and seal her powers before that Saburo uses the Crown of Australis on her!" Naruto said in conclusion.

Kakashi agreed and so they devised a plan on how to take her down. After some time, the group fled to rest. After all, they haven't really had a good rest these past few days.

'So..' Kakashi said to his self. Now alone by the stream, he stands on a rock to think. 'I have conquered the lightning phoenix after all. I will not fail you this time, Arashi. If fate will continue to separate us then I will find a way to weave destiny and bring us together."

"Who's there?" Kakashi suddenly notices someone's presence and threw a kunai to the nearest tree. He thought he just saw someone glaring at him with what seemed like yellow eyes. After making sure there was really none, Kakashi returned to the group.


	16. Kakashi Betrays The Team

**Weaving Destiny 15: Kakashi Betrays the Team**

"All right Sai, restate the plan again before we go. I want to make sure that you guys were paying attention to what I said yesterday." Kakashi said in his usual calm tone.

Sai related the plan again. And that is taking Arashi back with them today. They have learned that Saburo will most likely take her to the nearest highest mountain in this country. Arashi may need all the solar energy to carry out the transfer of her KG to the Crown of Australis.

"Okay then, let's go!" Kakashi upbeat after Sai relayed the entire plan

"Yosh!" Naruto confirmed excitedly.

With that, everyone hurried to proceed to the Mountain of the Yellow Sun. As the group headed on to their mission, Saburo, in a secluded place, is looking over what looked like a crystal ball and was speaking to someone who seemed to be trapped in it. The ball was cloudy and one can only hear a familiar voice.

"What did you do to Arashi? How did you get her?" The voice, angered but is still calm, reckoned on to him.

"Ohoho…" Saburo laughed back in an evil manner. "You wanna know, eh? Okay let me tell you what happened that night, 16 years ago."

And so he did.

It was a night, 16 years ago, when Kakashi fell to the ground and lost consciousness. Arashi upon seeing the dilemma that Kakashi was into started blaming herself and so her rage consumed her and she started to flame up. Saburo, Ryu, and Shin arrived and immediately noticed that the sealing of Arashi's powers failed.

"Hmm…" Saburo examined the situation. "Looks like the first level of seal has been activated. Good, this will make her more vulnerable to any mind controlling technique. Mind and Memory Jutsu!"

Saburo successfully entered Arashi's mind. And as the first level of the seal of the lightning phoenix exposes the victim to become vulnerable to any seal, Saburo implanted another seal into Arashi's mind to make it easier for him to control her memory and her abilities.

Arashi dropped unconsciously to the ground. Immediately, Shin un-bind the binding seals and they took Arashi with them.

"Huh? W-where am I?" Finally waking up after being unconscious for five days, Arashi looked around an unfamiliar place.

Saburo enters her room as soon as he noticed her awake.

"You are in our ancestral home, Arashi." He said gently.

"W-who are you? What happened to me? I feel so weak." She suddenly asked, not even remembering who she was.

"My name is Saburo. I am your uncle. You have been captured by the Hidden Leaf Village and five days ago we tried to rescue you. "

Arashi, being unable to remember everything just stared blankly at him.

"Ah, you must have lost your memory. Let me help you remember them."

Arashi, left without any choice, agreed hesitatingly. Without further ado, Saburo entered her mind showing her he would help but in reality, his motive was to alter her memory. He showed her how her village was destroyed by the Hidden Leaf and how her father was killed. And then for that night – five days ago; he showed her a silhouette of a young boy (Kakashi) running towards her with his flashes of light in around him. The sound of a thousand chirping birds rang in the air.

"And then one of the Leaf's Shinobi summoned the Phoenix Lightning to strike at your friend killing him." He said, finishing the story.

"But I could not clearly see his face."

Arashi asked, not knowing that her memory has been manipulated. She saw everything that Saburo said as a flashback in her mind. Then, she felt that the friend Saburo mentioned was someone very important to her. She felt that he have been protecting her all her life. And because of that, she was determined to find that man who summoned the Lightning Phoenix and killed her friend to avenge his death.

"And everything is just going accordingly to my plan." Saburo concluded after he continued to brag about his plans to that voice inside the crystal ball.

"After years of research, I have finally known about the Crown of Australis. This will finally help me gain full control of Arashi's powers. So I implanted another seal in her to let her think that she is on a mission to protect the Prince of the Yellow Country. That way, we could get all the information we need for the Crown of Australis. Unexpectedly and fortunate for me, the key to the Crown of Australis has been passed on to her. Now, all I have to do is activate the key and use the Crown of Australis on her and I will possess the most powerful bloodline limit ever known to our village!"

And his evil laugh faded behind the scenes and into the deepest corners of that dark dreary place.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and the rest already arrived at the Mountain of the Yellow Sun.

"Where are they?" Naruto said with a puzzled look.

"The place looks empty." Sakura, seconded.

Kakashi surveyed the area thoroughly and could not even feel anybody else's presence other than them. And so, he decided that they do a patrol.

"All right. Let's scatter and search the area. Be careful and don't let your guard down. Sakura and Sai, you go west. Naruto and Skye, go east and I to the north."

"Copy that!" Sai acknowledge and the group scattered just as Kakashi have instructed. Sakura and Sai carefully walked westward to check traces of enemies.

"Hmmn, I can't seem to find any – "

"Who goes there?" Sakura fiercely jolted out, cutting what Sai was about to say. Sensing a really dangerous presence, she quickly threw a tagged kunai towards the place where she could sense a suspicious presence.

"Sakura, wait! – Damn it! Look out!"

Sai warned Sakura but he was too late. From where he stands, he could see kaleidoscope reflection of the sun hitting an air filled with flammable gas. When Sakura called the tags to explode, a thin stream of fire flowed down to her. Sai dashed on to her and shoved her out of the way. They both landed with their backs on the ground.

" Sakura! Are you okay? "

Sai stood up and checked on Sakura, but there was no answer from her.

"Oi! Sakura…huh?...Sharingan!"

To his surprise, Sai faces the most unbelievable opponent he could ever think of. The sharingan eye was the first thing he noticed. And as the man emerged from the shadows, Sai did not feel the presence of an ally but rather the presence of an enemy.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" The man said with a command.

"Chōjū Giga!"

Sensing danger, Sai quickly drew four beasts to counter the opponent's summoning. But all vanished in thin air as the opponent's summoning appeared stronger than his.

"Huh?" For a moment, Naruto suddenly felt a rushed up intuition that something had happened on the other side. The side where Sakura and Sai are.

"What is it, Naruto?" Skye asked, worried.

"Ah, nothing." He replied so as not to worry Skye. "We're at the end of our route though, so let's now hurry back to the rendezvous point."

"Okay!" And Skye tagged along with Naruto and as they arrived at the rendezvous point. Already there were Kakashi, Sai, and Sakura. But to their surprise, Sai attacked them.

"Chōjū Giga!" Sai commanded and he sent two snakes to bind Skye.

While he was at it, Kakashi dashed toward Naruto with his lightning blade.

"Raikiri!"

"Kakashi-sensei! " Naruto exclaimed in surprise.

Sensing that Kakashi was really aiming for him, Naruto dashed toward him with a Rasengan. The two collided with their techniques, and Kakashi stared straight into Naruto's eyes. Naruto was startled for a moment. He felt like something rushed through inside him and was trying to tear something out from him. He kept his gaze fixed at Kakashi as he tries to pull back whatever it is that is being pulled out from him.

" What the -?" From inside Naruto, a red cloak of chakra suddenly intercepted Kaksahi's goal that he flew off 10 meters away from Naruto.

"W-what are you doing, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto, panting from his effort to fight back whatever was going on inside him awhile ago, glared fiercely at Kakashi.

"Sha-na-rooo! "

As soon as Kakashi fell off, Sakura struck the ground with her fist and sooner the earth crumbled up with hard earth piercing out to hit Naruto. Naruto jumped off from one piece to the other as he tries to escape.

'Damn! What's happening here?' Naruto said so to himself as he lands on a safer distance 20 meters away from them. 'Are these enemies in disguise? Argh! I can't be as harsh to go on Sage Mode with them!' He resented but he has no choice. He needs to determine who he was really facing with.

As quickly as he can, he examined Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai and ran his observations in his mind.

'There's no mistaking of their chakra. It's definitely them! But why do they all have the intent of killing me?'

"There is no escaping from here, Naruto! Raikiri!"

Once again, Kakashi dashed forward to Naruto with his inevitable lightning technique.

" Taju, Kage bunshin no Jutsu!"

Naruto created clones, but no, he's not going to use Rasenshurikken against Kakashi. He just can't be as careless as that. They could have just been possessed by something or someone. He'll strike Kakashi's raikiri with his rasengan and come up with another plan. Rushing toward Kakashi, Naruto cried his best bet and let the rest of his plan move about.

"Rasengan!"

Charging toward Kakashi, with the rest of his plan moving about, he noticed how Sai and Sakura have been standing as they were before. Sakura still has her fist down to the ground. Like she have been frozen or something. Sai, blankly stands beside Skye who could not move because of Sai's ink snakes. Naruto dashed forward and continue to go round about his plans but suddenly –

"TSX!" Came the sound of something stabbed into someone else's body.

Naruto came to a stop as he was halted with the appearance of an unexpected ally! Or is he?


	17. The Unexpected Presence

**Weaving Destiny 16: The Unexpected Presence**

The sound of a thousand birds rustled through the air while flashes of lightning come to gather and channel their electrical charges to a sword piercing through Kakashi's left chest stopping him, five 5 meters away from the user.

"Y-you!" Kakashi forced out a word as his eyes gazed upon the sharp glare of the other's. His body went numb and he falls to the ground in defeat.

Naruto came to a full stop as the palm of the unexpected presence pressed hard on his chest. His white long sleeved collared shirt ruffled through the strong breeze announcing his power. The hair that just covered his face a while ago was blown off with the wind as he turned to face Naruto. His two sharingan eyes staring back at him in resentment.

"S-sasuke?- - - Ugh!"

Naruto's eyes widened as it meets Sasuke's. Like Kakashi, he could hardly speak out a word, shocked upon his sudden appearance. He fell down on his butt to the ground when Sasuke lifted his palm and pushed him backward.

"Chidori!"

"Aaaaargh!"

Sasuke's lightning charges channeled more condensed through his katana. He pushed his sword further into Kakashi's chest who now cries in anguish and pain.

"Saaasukeee!"

Naruto exclaimed to call him to a halt but before he could charge at him, Kakashi's body rolled out from that of where Sasuke's katana is still embedded.

"R-ryu?"

Adding more to the surprises he's getting from the last moments, Naruto recognized the person as Ryu. User of Soul Casting technique, capable of transforming into anyone he likes by capturing their souls and taking over their body, their chakra, and all of them.

"But, how?" Naruto, puzzled.

"Ugh – he got me last night, Naruto." Kakashi confirmed. "When you guys left I sensed his presence and carelessly threw a kunai to his direction. That was when he got me off guard."

"This Soul Caster's technique would work on his target if they charge on him. "Sasuke, responded. "Taking the advantage of sucking your soul while you are at the momentum of your attack and send your soul someplace like in a crystal ball or anything, he would then put his own soul to your body with a transformation technique."

'So this is why I could not even determine them in Sage Mode. But - Sasuke did it with his Sharingan?' Naruto said to himself like running everything through in his mind.

"H-how did you?" Ryu, drained and numbed by Sasuke's attack asked.

"Tch! When you became a spy for Madara, a very small part of your chakra has been tweaked such that when you take full control over one's identity, it remains in you. It is somewhere deep that only I and Madara knows."

"Kakashi-sensei." Naruto's shadow clone that was supposed to sneak behind the fake Kakashi helps Kakashi to get up.

Further back, Sakura and Sai, gained back consciousness and sees what was going on. They too were victimized by Ryu's technique. And since he can only take over one body at a time, they had to freeze until they get freed or if Ryu would use them.

"Who's he?" Skye asked Sai who freed him from his snakes after having been able to figure out what was going.

"He's one of the original members of Team 7. Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura kept her silence. She could not believe that they would meet Sasuke again after encountering him back at that bridge. After a short shock, she noticed that Naruto was assisting Kakashi who seem to need some help and moved forward to assist them.

"Now, tell me where the weapon is?" Sasuke asked Ryu. His katana is still embedded to his chest.

"S-saburo took interest in it and he no longer has plans to give it to Madara and support his war. After he discovered the Crown of Australis, he decided to take the power to his self and just let the girl die."

"And what of the girl's exceptional healing ability? Will he be able to absorb it as well? We need both the girl's healing abilities and power." Sasuke asked back.

"He won't. He will only be able to absorb the Hell's Wrath Solar Fla—argh!" Ryu's eyes suddenly bulged out and rolled as he appeared to go out of breath and run out of life.

"Saburo's mind control technique. Killing his victim by going in to their minds and activate an exploding seal that he puts in for tracking, too." Sasuke sneered.

"Oi! Sasuke!" Naruto called. "What are you talking about? Why are you here?"

"Madara and Saburo's group are after Arashi's power." Kakashi said in a weary tone.

"So you are here to get Arashi, and take her to Madara?" Naruto firmly asked Sasuke. "I will not –"

Before he could finish, Sasuke was already behind him. His katana pointed against his throat.

"You never change, do you? You still have that big mouth to begin with. You cannot stop me."

"I will, if I have to." Naruto said in a still cold voice. His eyes covered with orange lining as he reactivated his Sage Mode. His Kunai pointed at Sasuke's left side after he swiftly managed to slip off from Sasuke's hold. "I will not allow Madara to use Arashi for his own interests."

Sasuke felt a different level of power with Naruto's transformation. He swiftly swung his katana and Naruto jumped up to evade it and came back down with a slash by his kunai. Sasuke blocked it with his katana and soon, they exchanged attacks and defenses with their blades. Exchanging fists and kicks whenever the chance calls for it, the spectators can only see sparks of their blades hitting and could only hear thuds from their kicks and fists. They were both fast and quick, no one wanting to be defeated by the other.

"Aaaargh!" Naruto exclaimed as he finally caught Sasuke with an opening. "U-ZU-MA-KI! NA-RU-TO-REN—"

Yet before he could give the final blow, Sasuke managed to maneuver himself in mid air! Now, he seems to be in advantage to Naruto as he is just right above him! His katana held high above his head indicating a vertical slash. With their level of speed almost equal with each other, Naruto caught Sasuke's slash with his kunai just as they set their feet on the ground. Pushing against each other's strength, their eyes met. A flare of a never ending determination flashed as none of them would give up and surrender.

"Tch!" Sasuke cursed in resentment.

Reading each other's next move, they both delivered a powerful straight front kick to the other, sweeping them off 10 meters apart.

"Ugh!" Both groaned as they tried to halt themselves. Fixing their stances with one hand to the ground they slid off apart from each other creating smoke of dusts until they came to a stop. Lifting their heads to check the other, they're now once again locked up within the flaring stares of their eyes.

"Chidori Senbon!" Without even giving a hint of a slight movement, Sasuke sent thousands of chidori needles toward Naruto.

"Wind Vortex Wall!" Knowing that wind defeats lightning, Naruto used one of the wind techniques that he has secretly learned on his own. A vortex of wind whirled wildly around him in 2 meters diameter covering him from the ground and about half a meter above his head. The wall is composed of a heavily compressed wind chakra, and revolves at an intensely high speed that nothing could get through it without being grinded. Not even Sasuke's chidori needles.

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise as they see what looks like Naruto's ultimate defensive wind wall. Sasuke's chidori needles stopped and Naruto let down his wind wall. Panting against their breaths, Naruto and Sasuke unlocked their gazes when they suddenly feel the earth crumbling below them.

Sooner than they could move, the earth cracked everywhere from them, heading to Kakashi and Sakura, and further to Sai and Skye.

Sai, took off in his bird with Skye while the rest managed to skip from one crust to the other not wanting to fall into the cracks. The earth stopped to tremble and as they looked down into the cracks, steaming hot lava awaits anyone who would fall into it.

"Hooo? If it isn't Uchiha Sasuke himself." Said a low toned voice, mocking Sasuke's presence.

Everyone looked toward the East to find out who the voice belonged to.

"Tch!"Sasuke sneered. "Hoishi Saburo. Traitor of the Village Hidden from the Sun."

'Huh?' Arashi exclaimed in surprise from the back of her mind. She stands to the right of Saburo, while Shin to his left. She have witnessed the later part of this new guy's fight with Naruto and yet he was calling Saburo the traitor of their village.

"Hm, surprised, Miss Arashi?" Sasuke further said which added more to Arashi's surprise.

'How did he know my name?' She said in her thoughts.

Saburo sensed Arashi's mind going unstable. In a snap of a finger he immediately took over her.

"Eh? You think I'd let you take her that easy?" Saburo laughed and signaled Shin and Arashi to attack.

"Ah! I'll get the wind and lightning boys!" Shin excitedly exclaimed as soon as Saburo gave the signal.

With a stamp of her feet, the Earth once again trembled before them. Naruto and Sasuke stood firm. The ground seemed to be compressing and it's moving toward the center making the distance between them closer. Sooner then, they find themselves just a meter apart. Quickly before they could move, that part of the ground, where Naruto and Sasuke stands, rose up cracking the part where Kakashi and Sakura were.

"Sakura!" Sai, who was still in the air with Skye saw Sakura falling into the crack dived fast with his bird. Skye jumped off as soon as he can to lighten the load.

Thud!

Sakura landed just in time on Sai's summoned ink bird. "Thank you, Sai!."

"What the - - Naruto, Sasuke! Look out!" Kakashi called out to Naruto and Sasuke who are now isolated from the others.

They now stand in an Earth ramp, 10 meters high above the others. The crack it caused from rising have lava running below it and after Shin did a few hand seals, the surrounding lava rose up like a huge tidal wave ready to engulf Naruto and Sasuke!

"Oh, crap!" Sasuke cursed in between his teeth.

"Damn!" Naruto seconded.


	18. Team 7 at Close Ranks

**Weaving Destiny 17: Team 7 at Close Ranks**

"Naa-ru-too!"

Sakura screamed as the lava closed in on Naruto and Sasuke. They have landed to a safer place but before they could move forward to check the current situation, Saburo took a quicker action.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

Sakura and Sai, standing about **50 meters **away from where Naruto and Sasuke were, are just about to face two giant scorpion scorpions: one coming from the north, the other from the south.

"Ugh! Not again!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Ah, and they do not seem to look the same as before." Sai said in exoticism noticing that the one coming from the north was of a deathly black color, and the one from the south was crimson red. Not to mention that they appear to look more fearful than before! Sakura and Sai stood with their backs against the other as the two scorpions dashed toward them.

"Raikiri!"

Seeing the lava rising from below the earth rampart that separated Naurto and Sasuke from the rest, Kakashi compassed his raikiri to break in through the earth's water table and a vortex of water combined with lightning surged out from between Naruto and Sasuke. The lightning and water vortex combination met up with the lava consuming the technique and saving Naruto and Sasuke.

Smokes of dusts filled the air as the jutsus vanished. **Sasuke and Naruto jumped off the rampart and into a strange pinkish smoke that surround the ground below rampart and faced Shin. **

"Haaa! You're not getting away this time!" Naruto exclaimed while Sasuke grunted in resentment.

Shin stands about 10 meters from them and is about to fire another jutsu but was halted when three of Naruto's clone came out from the ground and surrounded her. They attacked her with kicks and punches which she evaded with skills.

"Taju kagebunshin no jutsu!"

More of Naruto's clones advanced on Shin with every attack they could but none of them could get through. When Naruto sent out the last batch of his clones, Shin spun herself around while hundreds of Naruto's clones round about her. She spun with great speed that all you can see is what looked like a small wind tornado. While at that, she compassed throwing hundreds of shurikkens towards Naruto's clones making them all disappear.

"Now, Naruto!" Sasuke signaled Naruto after he finds the right time to do an attack.

"Yosh!"

"Fire Dragon Flame Missile!"

Sasuke cried out the technique and exhaled a long stream of fire toward Shin. With ease, Shin called out a large portion of earth, softened it and streamed it back toward Sasuke's stream of fire putting it off.

"Rasengan!" While Sasuke's Fire Dragon streamed out to Shin, Naruto traveled underground and resurfaced right below Shin giving her a surprise blow right into her abdomen!

"Just as I've foreseen – "said a voice from behind him. "An underground surprise attack, ha?" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise while before him, Shin's earth clone crumble back to the ground.

Furious with the result of their plan, he turned to face Shin in caution but instead he sees a different person.

"D…?" Naruto's stammering word vanished into a soft whisper that could hardly be heard. Clad in a shinning white coat lined with blazing red fire is none other than his father, Minato Namikaze. He towered above him, his eyes gentle and soft as he let out a sweet, caring smile to him.

After helping Naruto and Sasuke out of that lava wave, Kakashi and Skye now stand face to face with Arashi.

"And so we face again!" Arashi said in a firm tone. Her eyes glared with anger as all she can see was the person who killed the only man she ever loved. Her breathing fast and steady yearns for his death.

Skye standing a couple steps back to the right of Kakashi kept his guard and silently wished for Kakashi's triumph and Arashi's safety. He looked around and to his left; he sees Sai and Sakura facing two giant scorpion scorpions, while to his right was the new guy – Sasuke, and Naruto. Further up beyond Sasuke and Naruto stands Saburo in his demon-like power hungry stature.

Cautious as to what Saburo is planning to do, Kakashi slowly takes one step at a time towards Arashi. He knows not how to bring her back but he is determined to do so. Yuki's words once again rang in his mind:

"_She was just like my little sister who died in the war; troublesome but sweet and gentle. And so as time passed by, I wanted to be a big brother to her. To protect her like you always do. If I will never make it through tonight, Kakashi, please promise me – protect her with all your life not…"_

"_Not because I am in charge of her but because she is important to me." _He whispered his reply to Yuki back then.

"I'm taking you back with us, Arashi." Kakashi said in a still calm voice when he halted at a distance safe enough from Saburo's plans, but near enough for Arashi to hear him speak. "Even if I would have to give up my life."

"Enough foolish babbles then and let's get this over with!"

Arashi took out her twin sais and sprinted toward Kakashi who in turn took out his kunai to meet her attack. They dashed straightly toward each other closing the distance in between them. But then to his surprise, Arashi leaped off the ground just before their blades clashed and went past over him. Kakashi quickly turned to her direction and immediately perceives her true aim.

"Skye-sama!"

"They're approaching fast!" Sakura said in worry.

"Don't worry, Sakura. We've defeated them before and we'll defeat them again!" Sai assured her with a firm tone.

"Yeah, right!" Sakura answered with confidence.

Sakura was all ready to jump off and give the scorpion a hard blow while Sai was ready with his ink techniques when suddenly, 10 meters from them the scorpions halted cautiously. It was as if they were trying to figure out what Sakura and Sai had in mind.

After a few seconds of pause, Sakura charged toward the death black scorpion when it finally leaped off the ground to charge at her.

"Sakura, watch out!"

Sai called out to warn Sakura. The death black scorpion abruptly spins horizontally in mid air to avoid a head on encounter with Sakura! His huge tail came swinging right up to strike Sakura!

Foreseeing Sai's warning, Sakura shifted to her left and immediately sees the approaching danger.

"Arrrrggggghhhhhh!"

Exclaiming her strength out, Sakura bounced toward the scorpion's huge tail. With her chakra filled fist she strike at it with a straight upper punch setting the scorpion off balanced in mid-air and giving it a hard landing on the ground! Smoke of dusts rose wildly in the air as the scorpion's fall dug a crater leaving his body half buried to the ground.

"Sumi Furasshu no Jutsu! (Ink Flush Technique)"

Sai poured a bottle of ink to the ground when the crimson scorpion sprinted toward after the other did to Sakura. Immediately, after the scorpion reached the distance that Sai calculated his technique to take effect, an ample number of ink snakes strikes from the underground, restraining the crimson scorpion and kept it from going forward. Then with a final call to manipulate the ink snakes with a large amount of his chakra:

"Blast it!" Sai called for his ink snakes to tear the scorpion to pieces! Crimson bits of the scorpion scattered all over the ground proclaiming Sai's victory.

"Good job, Sai!" Sakura called out. "Argh!" She suddenly let out a cursed sigh when she sees the death black scorpion rose up to charge madly toward her.

Furiously, Sakura dashed toward it and give it a final blow in its head! Defeated with her blow, the death black scorpion scampered into pieces, too!

"Ha! That was easy enough; don't you think so, Sai?" Sakura smiled turning her back at the scorpion and facing Sai.

"Ri - -" Sai's words were suddenly cut into silence and…

"Behind you!" Sakura and Sai chorused to warn each other.

What's in store for Skye seeing that Arashi is charging toward him? Will Naruto be able to get some help now that his dad appeared to him once again? Sakura and Sai just warned each other against what?

This threefold battle continues in the next chapter.


	19. Honor Thy Father

**HONOR THY FATHER**

'W-what's happening?' Naruto said to himself. His brows furrowed in confusion. He was sure he heard a woman's voice from behind him, seconds ago.

"Aren't you glad to see me again, Naruto?" Minato asked the startled Naruto. "There is something that I have forgotten to tell you, my son."

Suddenly, Naruto notices Sasuke running toward them. His hands were filled with lightning flashes as he gathers his chakra into his palm and created the chidori.

"Sasuke, wait!" With a short dash forward, Naruto shoved Minato out of the way to intercede Sasuke's attack. Minato, a little off balanced managed to stride aside to Naruto's left and Sasuke halted immediately.

'Huh! Something is not right here' Sasuke said in his thoughts. 'Sharinggan!' He went on and activated his Sharingan eye.

'Wait?! Haven't I activated my sharingan already at the start of this battle?!' Alarmed with the irregularities taking place, Sasuke retracted all the details of the battle as fast as he could.

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you, Naruto!" Minato said in a commanding voice. And before Naruto could turn around to face him, he felt a deep pain as Minato's knees sunk in to his abdomen.

"Ghack!" Naruto squalled as he bent over in pain. In a blink of an eye, Minato's elbow struck his nape before he could know.

"Ungh!" He groaned. Naruto pained and puzzled started falling down to the ground.

Estranged by his father's actions, Naruto rolled forward before hitting the ground to avoid any more attacks from him. But before he could get up, Minato's toes hit his chin sending him flipping backward and be swept meters away.

"And you call yourself a hero?" Minato said towering over Naruto. His eyes fired in rage with the intent to kill him. "Get up and fight like a man!"

Minato raised his right feet to strike Naruto again. But Naruto was able to dodge it this time! He created a shadow clone of him and let it drag him out from under Minato. Shaking on his knees, Naruto faces his father in confusion.

"D-dad. Why are you doing this?"

"I'm sorry son but I have to. Within you is a power that can destroy our world. You are a weapon that needs to be destroyed."

Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing Minato's reason. He could not believe what he is hearing. They now stand about 5 meters apart. To his right, 10 meters away, is Sasuke; silently standing and probably making up a plan.

'Will Sasuke help him and kill his dad?' Naruto ran questions in his mind. 'He can't allow Sasuke to kill his dad, but – his dad wants him dead. Why? Why the sudden change of mind? Didn't he just say that he believed in him? That he will be the key to the peace in this hate-filled ninja world?'

"I-I don't understand." Naruto looked into Minato's eyes and begged for an explanation.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled out loud. From where he stands, he could see Naruto going down on his knees. His eyes closed, and pain could be seen all over his face. He dashed toward him in a hurry and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder

.

"Huh?!" Sasuke's eyes widened as he behold the figure in front of him.

Hovering behind Minato is a figure that's like five times taller than he is. Clad in a cream-white robe that covers down to his feet, floating about a meter above the ground. Its white thick hair ruffled around his head like a lion's mane and flowed down to the front, beyond his shoulders. A knife was held in his mouth and his long white hair suspended the summoner's soul.

"D-death God?!" Sasuke clenched his fist in horror but held and maintained his proud composure. In result, his eyes flared in rage while he witnessed the death god's hand buried into Naruto's abdomen. Fixing his eyes on Minato, he gathered lightning charges in his right hand and as soon as his chidori was ready, he leaped high up from the ground and thrust it on to Minato.

"Saa-su-kee! Nooo!" Naruto, straining to speak cried out for Sasuke to stop. But Sasuke ignored his call and thrust his chidori to Minato while he was off guard concentrating with the Death God summoning technique. The death god vanished in a smoke and when the smoke cleared out, what stood before them was none other than Shin.

Shin stared back at Sasuke and pushed him with a wind technique that she manipulated from her palms. Thrown back to where Naruto is, Sasuke immediately grabbed Naruto close to him and whispered into his ear. Wide eyed, Naruto agreed with a nod.

"Yosh! Let's do this, Sasuke!"

With that, Sasuke gathered up his chakra and released a huge burst of fire fireball.

"Katon! Zukokku"

[spoiler][Katon Zokokku: Intense pain fire technique. A huge burst of fire that turns into a huge fireball and can cover a large area, burning everything that it passes by. Credits to NBRP Justsus ][/spoiler]

"Huh?!" Surprised with the incoming attack, Shin was caught off guard. They were supposed to direct their attack at a direction 5 meters, 2 o'clck from her instead of from where she stands.

Immediately after that, Naruto thrust a Wind Rasengan into Sasuke's fire making the fire stronger and intensely hot. The fire turned white with its extremely high temperature and was revolving at a very high speed toward their target.

Instantly manipulating a defense, Shin performed a spinning wall of water to counter the spinning ball of fire.

"Now, Naruto!" Sasuke signaled Naruto and they both dashed toward the colliding fireball-wind rasengan technique and Shin's spinning wall of water.

Sasuke then shot a ball of fire toward Naruto while he shot Sasuke back with an equally strong gale of wind. The collision created a hot air balloon concept and immediately, Naruto kicked into it and he went flying high up above the spinning wall of water, fire, and wind collision.

"Rasengan!" Naruto dived in to the center of the spinning colliding techniques and thrusts his rasengan to the confident Shin.

Shin was pushed down to the ground while the spinning colliding technique vanished into thin air. Naruto bounced back to a safer distance and stood beside Sasuke. Both panting from the combo plan that they just did.

"Ha!" Naruto excitedly cried in victory.

"Not so fast, Naruto." Sasuke disputed to Naruto's surprise. "This battle has just begun for real."

"What?!" Naruto's eyes widened as he began to see and understand what Sasuke is talking about.

Sakura and Sai back against back with each other put theirselve together up again after the scropions, which have just crumbled to pieces awhile ago, are now beginning to regenerate.

"Just what the hell is going on?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Are they putting up their selves together again?

"It seems like it…Now, what the – dodge, Sakura!" Sai replied with a warning when a stream of fire came flowing out from the red crimson scorpion's mouth.

"Not just me, Sai!" Sakura yelled almost at the same time to Sai when a bolt of lightning just surged out from the death black scorpion facing her.

"Ugh! These creatures just got better! They're firing up lightning and fire this time?"

"Right on that, Sakura. They were just using chakra blows that first time we fought them."

They both rolled over to the same direction when they dodged the fire and lightning blows from the scorpion.

"Now what?!" Standing still with back against the other, Sai and Sakura chorused in surprise while they see the scorpions scamper down toward them into thousands of regular sized scorpions.

Sai immediately painted an eagle and grabbed Sakura into it as it seemed like the only means of escape was the air. And yet their surprise did not end that way. As the thousands of regular sized death black and crimson red scorpions meet up in the middle, they joined in together and became one!

"And it just got a lot bigger, this time!" Sakura hailed with a low tone.

"Oh shit!" Sai cried just as the red and black scorpion's tail hit his eagle, turning it back to ink before they could ascend to a higher height. Sakura and Sai fell hard to the ground, 5 meters away from the red and black scorpion.

"Looks like we just have to face this ugly faced creature, ha Sakura?

"Right! … Sha-na-ro!" Sakura once again punched into the ground this time and caused huge chunks of spear-shaped earth rocks from underneath the scorpion.

"This is total madness!" Sakura frustrating exclaimed. Every time one of those spear-shaped earth rocks hit a part of the scorpion, it breaks that part to pieces and yet as the scorpion continues to move toward them; those pieces come back together again.

"We need a plan!" Sakura dragged Sai down into the ground and out they come from behind a boulder. Panting, Sakura and Sai rested their backs and head against the large boulder.

"So, the scorpions seem to have some kind of a regenerating technique?" Sakura stated in between her breaths.

"I think not." Sai finally said after a moment of silence. "The scorpions are not real summoning creatures."

"What do you mean?"

"There!" Sai pointed out the scorpion as they peeked from behind the boulder."Notice how it glistens against the sun. Remember how they sparkle against the sun when they broke into pieces."

"Hmm…"Sakura started thinking and after a few seconds, "It's made of crystals?"

"Ice crystals, I believe." Sai concorded. "Kakashi-sensei mentioned that Saburo can use Ice Release technique. He is manipulating ice crystals by turning them into what we think as summoned creatures."

"Then, what about the summoning hand seals and all? He's just –"

"Faking it, yes." Sai intercepted. "But it's not just that."

"There's more?"

"Look far beyond Naruto and Sai. Saburo is actually busy controlling Arashi's mind. While the crystals gather up together, there was a stream of chakra flow from somewhere to the south. I suspect that there is something that's controlling it to keep it going while Saburo concentrates in controlling Arashi."

"All right then, we go find this control, destroy it, and eliminate the regenerating process of the scorpion."

"Right!" Sai said. "Now, you distract the scorpions while I go find the source. I think I knew where it is."

"Okay! Good luck to the two of us!" Sakura said while she revealed herself out of the boulder, ready to distract to proceed with her plans. Sai slipped off from hidding and out into the direction where he thought the control was.


	20. Different Hearts, One Mind

Defying Fate V: Different Hearts, One Mind

Smoke and dusts cleared off from Sasuke and Naruto's vision. They were sure to see a panting, all battered up Shin before everything was cleared but now, right before them, stand a genuinely shinning Shin. Not a single trace of scratch could be seen even from her clothing's hems.

"Had fun dreaming?" She spoke in a low sweet tone.

"Tch!" Sasuke cursed."I can't believe her genjutsu went past my sharinggan!"

"Genjutsu?" Naruto asked in surprise."We were under a genjutsu all along?!"

"Who are you?!" Sasuke nodded to confirm Naruto's question while asking Shin at the same time.

"I am Shin of the Murasaki Clan." Shin replied to Sasuke's query and added, "I am the current Master Artist of the lost midnight genjutsu technique that manipulates your subconscious mind bringing you into a state similar to that of a dream."

"But you will have to put your victims to sleep before you can perform the technique." Sasuke said. "The pinkish smoke after your lava technique – that was a sleeping gas then?"

"Yes, it was. But how did you wake up?"

"I realized it even before I woke up. I suspected Naruto was under some genjutsu so, I activated my sharinggan. Then, I remembered that I already had my sharinggan activated when we started fighting you. I tried to check the environment but everything seemed to be stable with my sharinggan on. I suspected that we must be under some advanced genjutsu. I then charged a tiny thunder bolt to one of my chakra points and that was when I woke up."

"Wise but too late to have realized." Shin let out a soft laugh.

"You're wrong! It's who are too late to see this!" Naruto exclaimed while thrusting a rasengan ball at her back. While Sasuke distracted Shin with his explanation, Naruto had a clone replace him from where he stood beside Sasuke and sneaked to Shin's back to strike.

Swept off to the ground five meters away from where she was standing, Shin groaned in anger and immediately stood up to activate another lava release technique. But Sasuke was quicker and before Shin could release her technique, a piercing pain went past through her chests.

"Chidori!"

A few seconds before Naruto thrusted his rasengan to Shin, Sasuke skidded off to the direction where Shin would be swept off through after Naruto hits her with his rasengan. Being seconds ahead of Shin, Sasuke halted her with a thrust of chidori to Shin's chest.

Shocked by the flawless teamwork of the two kids before her, Shin could not believe how they could appear to her as mortal enemies fighting each when they arrived in this location hours ago.

"Y-you," She struggled to speak referring to Naruto and Sasuke. "H-how can you two be enemies when you think as one? H-how can you two have different hearts but one mind?"

Hearing Shin's last words, Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other. One's eye flared with anger, the other's filled with his undying promise to save his friend from darkness.

"Now, back to our unfinished business, Naruto." Panting, Sasuke said and pushed Shin off to side and waited for Naruto.

"This is no time to fight!" Kakashi appeared in between them. "We need to calm Arashi down or we will all be dead!"

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes opened wide in fear as they see the danger that has started to build up.

Sakura stepped outside of the giant boulder and took out a scroll.

"Scatter!" With her command three more scrolls appeared. The scrolls formed a four cornered space that surrounded the scorpions.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Sakura then summoned a four cornered iron cage to imprison the scorpions.

"How do you like that?" Sakura teased them in excitement.

Then she summoned another scroll and four spikes assembled from each side to seal them in one place.

'That should give Sai enough time to do what he needs to do.' Sakura said to herself.

While Sakura was holding up the scorpions, Sai successfully found the source of the scorpion's energy. It was a pentagram seal that can perform the user's technique and allow the user to perform and battle other opponents.

"Clever of you to have noticed!" From behind his back, Saburo said in anger.

"It's over you can't revive your scorpions again" Sai answered him.

"Well I don't need to do that they were just to separate you two from the rest. And since you are here, I will just have to kill you and get rid of you!

"Try it!" Sai said in a challenging tone and took his pen out to draw. But unexpectedly, Saburo attached himself to him and said;

"Bye, bye, pale boy!"

BOOOM!

"Sai!" Sakura immediately rushed off to where the explosion is. There, lying with his face down to the ground is Sai, unconscious and bleeding.

Sakura examined Sai and found his entire back have exploded with the explosion.

'Damn it!' She said to herself. 'Sai got caught up with an explosive clone. I need to get him out of here and heal him.'

She looked back to check the others. Her eyes widened in fear while before her, danger awaits them and the entire nearby villages.

Right before everybody's eyes is a blinding light that warrants great danger.

"What happened, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked Kakashi, who now stands between Sasuke and Naruto.


End file.
